Standard Lemma guide

unbutton

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ʌnˈbʌtən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌtən
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N B AH1 T AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To open (something) by undoing its buttons.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To come open by having its buttons unfastened.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ergative, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

undo the buttons of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • unbutton the shirt

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: button

Broader terms: undo

History

Etymology

From Middle English onbottonen, unbotonen; equivalent to un- + button.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: откопчавам (otkopčavam) — (transitive)
  • Catalan: desbotonar — (transitive)
  • Finnish: avata napit — (transitive)
  • French: déboutonner — (transitive)
  • Galician: desabotoar — (transitive)
  • German: aufknöpfen — (transitive)
  • Greek: ξεκουμπώνω (xekoumpóno) — (transitive)
  • Ido: desbutonagar — (transitive)
  • Italian: sbottonare — (transitive)
  • Portuguese: desabotoar — (transitive)
  • Romanian: descheia — (transitive)
  • Russian: расстёгивать (rasstjógivatʹ) — (transitive)
  • Russian: расстегну́ть (rasstegnútʹ) — (transitive)
  • Spanish: desabotonar — (transitive)
  • Swedish: knäppa upp — (transitive)
  • Turkish: çözmek — (transitive)