Unpronounced

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not spoken aloud or articulated ; remaining silent or unstated ; existing without being verbally expressed
2. Existing without vocal expression ; not uttered or announced ; present but not made known through speech
3. Characterized by the absence of spoken communication ; withheld from verbalization ; present quietly without oral declaration

Etymology: "Unpronounced" is a plain formation: the prefix "un-", meaning "not", attached to "pronounced," the past participle of "pronounce." The prefix has a long pedigree, tracing back through Old English and Germanic to a very old Indo-European root meaning "not," and it has been one of the most productive negating prefixes in English ever since. "Pronounce" itself came into English from Old French "pronuncier," which descends from the Latin "pronuntiare," meaning "to announce or proclaim aloud." Its original sense was public declaration, which fits the word's core idea: to pronounce something is to say it out loud and clearly. Adding "un-" reverses that, so "unpronounced" describes a sound, syllable, or letter that is written or present but not spoken aloud, such as the silent "b" in "debt."

Synonyms: silent, mute, inaudible, unspoken, voiceless

Antonyms: pronounced, articulated, spoken, expressed, audible