adj
Meaning 1
Not married.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
unwed
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.
-
rhymes with -ɛd
-
CMU ARPABET: AH0 N W EH1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
One who is not married; a bachelor or a spinster.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- Should unweds living together receive the same social benefits as married couples?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To annul the marriage of.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To separate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
of someone who has not been married
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- unwed mother
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: unwedded
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English wed English unwed From un- (not) + wed.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2ent- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h2éntsder. Proto-Germanic *anda- Proto-West Germanic *anda- Old English and- Old English on- Middle English on- English un- English wed English unwed From un- (to reverse) + wed.
Real reading context