How Do You Spell UNRETURNED?

Pronunciation: [ˌʌnɹɪtˈɜːnd] (IPA)

The word "unreturned" is spelled using the prefix "un-" meaning "not" and the root word "returned," which means "to come or go back." The pronunciation of "unreturned" using the International Phonetic Alphabet is /ˌʌnrɪˈtɜrnd/. The stressed syllable is "turned," which is pronounced as /tɜrnd/. The /r/ sound is pronounced with the tip of the tongue slightly curled back towards the roof of the mouth. The /ɪ/ sound, corresponding to the letter 'i,' is pronounced as a short 'ih' sound, similar to 'p-t' in "pit."

UNRETURNED Meaning and Definition

  1. Unreturned is an adjective that describes something that has not been brought back, given back, or reciprocated. It denotes the absence of an action or gesture of returning or giving back an item or equivalent value.

    In the context of objects, unreturned refers to items that should have been given back to their rightful owners but haven't been. This could include borrowed books, rented movies, or loaned personal belongings that still remain in the possession of the borrower or leaser. The unreturned object is typically overdue and may violate agreements or social expectations regarding its timely return.

    When referring to actions or gestures, unreturned signifies the absence of an expected or anticipated response. For example, a person might make an attempt to communicate with another but receive no reply, resulting in an unreturned message or call. Similarly, if someone performs a favor or kindness towards another, and it is not reciprocated or acknowledged, the favor is considered unreturned.

    The concept of unreturned extends beyond the realm of physical objects or actions. It can also refer to emotions or feelings that are not reciprocated or returned in kind. For instance, unreturned love portrays unreciprocated affection where one person's romantic feelings are not matched or returned by the other individual.

    Overall, unreturned describes the state of something that remains unacknowledged, unreciprocated, or not given back as expected or anticipated. It encompasses a range of situations including physical objects, actions, gestures, and emotions.

  2. Not brought or sent back; not restored; not come back.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for UNRETURNED

Etymology of UNRETURNED

The word "unreturned" is derived from the combination of the prefix "un-" and the word "returned".

The prefix "un-" is a productive prefix in English, meaning "not" or "the opposite of". It is used to negate the meaning of the base word it is attached to. In this case, "un-" negates the word "returned", indicating that something has not been given back or reciprocated.

The word "returned" comes from the verb "return", which originated from the Old French word "retourner", meaning "to turn back". The Old French term derived from the Latin word "retornāre", which also meant "to turn back".

Therefore, when combined, "un-" and "returned" create the word "unreturned", which signifies something that has not been given back or reciprocated.

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