Unplayed

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Describing a piece of music, a game, or a recording that has not yet been performed or played ; describing a card, piece or move that has not yet been used in a match
2. Referring to something such as a song, sport, or instrument that has never been performed or taken part in ; referring to a game move or card not yet put into action
3. Not yet sounded, performed, or played in any form ; of a game piece or card still held back and not yet put into use

Etymology: "Unplayed" is about as plain as English word-building gets: the prefix "un-" attached to "played," meaning not played or not yet played. The prefix has an ancient pedigree, descending from a Proto-Indo-European root for negation that passed through Proto-Germanic and Old English before reaching modern English largely unchanged in function. The word "played" itself is the past participle of "play," so "unplayed" is the negated form of that participle, used most often to describe things such as a game, a piece of music, or a card that has not yet been put into action. The construction is transparent enough that speakers can form it on the spot, which is why it appears in everyday speech as readily as in print.

Synonyms: unused, untried

Antonyms: played