un-

un-¹

prefix

1》 (added to adjectives, participles, and their derivatives) denoting the absence of a quality or state; not: unacademic.

    ↘the reverse of: unselfish.

2》 (added to nouns) a lack of: untruth.

Origin

OE, of Gmc origin.

Usage

The prefixes un- and non- both mean ‘not’, but there is often a distinction in terms of emphasis. Un- tends to be stronger and often suggests a particular bias or standpoint, while non- is often more neutral. For example, unnatural means that something is not natural in a negative way, whereas non-natural simply means ‘not natural’.

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un-²

prefix added to verbs:

1》 denoting the reversal or cancellation of an action or state: unsettle.

2》 denoting deprivation, separation, or reduction to a lesser state: unmask.

    ↘denoting release: unhand.

Origin

OE un-, on-, of Gmc origin.