un-

un- [un]

prefix

1. [ME < OE, akin to Gr an-, a- (see A-², AN-¹), L in- (see IN-²), and to the negative elements in no, not, nor] not, lack of, the opposite of [unconcern, unreason, unwonted]: see NON-

2. [ME un-, on- < OE un-, on-, and-, back, akin to Ger ent-, Du ont-] back; the reverse or removal of: added to verbs to indicate a reversal of the action and to nouns to indicate a removal or release of the thing mentioned or from the condition, place, etc. indicated, and sometimes used merely as an intensive [unbind, unfold; unbonnet, unbosom; unloose]