'unfamiliar' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'unfamiliar,' where 'un-' meant 'not' and 'familiar' meant 'well-known or recognized.'

'unfamiliar' changed from the Middle English word 'unfamiliar' and eventually became the modern English word 'unfamiliar.'

Initially, it meant 'not well-known or recognized,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.