Unshown

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not displayed or revealed to an audience or viewer in any form
2. Hidden from view or not made evident through visual means
3. Describing something that exists but has not been presented or introduced to others

Etymology: "Unshown" is a plain formation: the prefix "un-", meaning "not", attached to "shown," the past participle of "show." English has used "un-" this way for centuries to turn adjectives and participles into their negatives, so "unshown" simply describes something that has not been put on view. The pattern is productive rather than special, which is why the word can be built on the spot whenever a writer needs it. The surprise lies in "show" itself, which has changed its past participle over time. Older English usage favoured "shown" alongside "showed," and the two forms have competed ever since, so "shown" is the form that has survived in the participle while "showed" took over as the simple past. "Unshown" therefore carries the older participle that modern speakers mostly reserve for passive and perfect constructions.

Synonyms: hidden, concealed, unrevealed, unexhibited, unexposed

Antonyms: shown, visible, revealed, exhibited, exposed