Unwhetted

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not having been sharpened or honed to a fine edge
2. Lacking a sharp edge because it has not been whetted or ground
3. Remaining dull because sharpening has not been applied to it

Etymology: "Unwhetted" is simply the prefix "un-", meaning "not," attached to "whetted," the past participle of "whet." To whet is to sharpen an edge, and the verb has long carried a figurative sense too, as in whetting an appetite or curiosity. So "unwhetted" describes something that has not been sharpened, or, figuratively, something that has not been stimulated or made keen. The "un-" prefix is one of English's most productive, able to attach to adjectives and participles nearly at will, which is why many such formations are transparent compounds rather than words with a separate history. Here the meaning follows directly from its parts, and the word's sense rests entirely on the older verb "whet."

Synonyms: dull, blunt

Antonyms: sharp, whetted