unworked
|un-worked|
🇺🇸
/ʌnˈwɜrkt/
🇬🇧
/ʌnˈwɜːkt/
(unwork)
not worked / not acted on
Etymology
'unworked' originates from English, formed by the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') combined with the past participle 'worked' of the verb 'work'.
'work' comes from Old English 'weorc' (work, deed), from Proto-Germanic '*werkan' (to work); the prefix 'un-' is from Old English 'un-' meaning 'not', so 'unworked' is a modern composition of 'un-' + 'worked'.
Initially it simply signified 'not worked' (the straightforward negation of 'worked'); over time it has been used both as a literal descriptor of materials and land and more broadly to mean 'unused' or 'undeveloped'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past participle form of 'unwork' (rare verb) — having been made 'unworked' or returned to an unworked state; used mainly as a grammatical/formal form.
The team had unworked several sections to restore the original finish. (rare)
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Adjective 1
not having been worked, processed, or finished (applied to materials, metal, stone, etc.).
The sculptor preferred to start with an unworked block of marble.
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Adjective 2
not cultivated, developed, or used (applied to land, time, or opportunities).
There were vast areas of unworked land beyond the village.
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Last updated: 2025/11/30 16:03