Uninstructed

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Characterized by an absence of guidance or structured teaching, which may lead to uncertainty in actions or decisions
2. Denoting a status where one is without any formal education or direction, often resulting in uninformed opinions
3. Lacking formal training or direction, this state can cause confusion in behavior or understanding

Etymology: "Uninstructed" is about as plain as English compounds get: the prefix "un-" joined to "instructed," the past participle of "instruct." The "un-" is an old Germanic negating element, traceable back through Proto-Germanic to the Proto-Indo-European root *ne, meaning "not." It was already part of English from its earliest recorded stage, so the prefix has been available to form negatives of participles like this for as long as English has existed in its present shape. "Instruct" itself comes from Latin "instruere," meaning "to build into, equip, or arrange," which is where the word's sense of equipping a person with knowledge comes from. "Uninstructed" therefore literally means "not equipped" with the knowledge or training that instruction supplies.

Synonyms: untrained, uneducated, ignorant, naive, unschooled

Antonyms: trained, educated, instructed, knowledgeable, aware