English Profile

unknown · adjective

/ʌnˈnəʊn/Full view

Word family

Nouns: knowledge

Adjectives: knowing, knowledgeable, known, unknown

Verbs: know

Adverbs: knowingly, unknowingly, knowledgeably

unknown (NOT KNOWN)

B1 not known

Dictionary examples:

The exact number of people carrying the virus is unknown.

Unknown to me, she'd organized a party for my birthday.

Learner example:

There w[ere] few words and the address was unknown. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Portuguese)

unknown (NOT FAMOUS)

B1 not famous

Dictionary example:

an unknown actor

Learner example:

Two unknown actors were being filmed while they were acting. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Spanish)

an unknown quantity

C2 someone or something that you do not know and so you cannot be certain about

Dictionary example:

The road conditions in that area are a bit of an unknown quantity.

Learner example:

As mentioned above, [the] laser [beam] was an unknown quantity even to its inventor and those who contributed to its enhancement. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Polish)

unknown · noun

/ʌnˈnəʊn/

the unknown

C1 things that you have not experienced and know nothing about

Dictionary example:

It's normal to fear the unknown.

Learner example:

The most important factor when learning English is the hunger for knowledge, the hunger for the unknown. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; Portuguese)