unanswered
Meaning
(of a question) not answered or replied to
(of a problem or need) not dealt with or resolved
Structure
Usage
Several key questions about the policy remain unanswered.
Her letter went unanswered for weeks.
There is still an unanswered need for affordable housing in the city.
Etymology
The word "unanswered" is a straightforward English formation built upon the core verb "answer." The verb itself has ancient Germanic roots, deriving from a compound in Old English that literally meant a "sworn statement against" a charge or question. The negative prefix "un-," one of the most common and stable morphemes in English, is attached to the past participle "answered" to create an adjective. The resulting term literally means "not having been replied to," a meaning that has remained transparent and logical from its Old English components to its modern abstract use for unresolved questions or issues.
Analysis
- un: A prefix of Germanic origin (Old English un-), meaning "not." It functions as a negative particle. - answer: A verb of Germanic origin (Old English andswaru, from and- "against" + swaru "affirmation"). It functions as the core lexical root meaning "to reply." - ed: A suffix of Germanic origin (Old English -ed, -od, -ad), originally forming the past tense and past participle of verbs, here used to create a participial adjective.