Unfamiliar

Pronunciation: /ʌnˈfəˌmɪliər/

Definitions of unfamiliar

adjective an adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'unfamiliar' describes something that is not known or recognized.

Example Sentences

A1 The new student felt lost and unfamiliar in the school.

A2 She hesitated to explore the unfamiliar city streets alone.

B1 The complex scientific concepts were unfamiliar to most of the students.

B2 The unfamiliar language barrier made it difficult for them to communicate effectively.

C1 The unfamiliar customs of the tribe fascinated the anthropologist.

C2 The unfamiliar terrain posed a challenge for even the most experienced climbers.

Examples of unfamiliar in a Sentence

formal The new employee found the company's software system to be unfamiliar at first.

informal I feel a bit lost in this unfamiliar neighborhood.

slang I'm totally out of my element in this unfamiliar situation.

figurative The concept of time travel is still unfamiliar to most people.

Grammatical Forms of unfamiliar

• past tense: unfamiliarized
• plural: unfamiliars
• comparative: more unfamiliar
• superlative: most unfamiliar
• present tense: unfamiliarize
• future tense: will unfamiliarize
• perfect tense: have unfamiliarized
• continuous tense: is unfamiliarizing
• singular: unfamiliar
• positive degree: familiar
• infinitive: to unfamiliarize
• gerund: unfamiliarizing
• participle: unfamiliarized

Origin and Evolution of unfamiliar

First Known Use: 0016 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'unfamiliar' originated from the combination of the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'familiar' meaning 'known or recognized'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'unfamiliar' has retained its original meaning of not being known or recognized, but its usage has expanded to describe things or situations that are not common or usual to someone.