unexamined
Meaning
Not subjected to examination, scrutiny, or analysis.
Structure
Usage
An unexamined life is not worth living, according to the philosopher Socrates.
The assumptions behind the policy remained largely unexamined by the public.
She submitted the unexamined evidence to the court for review.
Etymology
The word 'unexamined' is a modern English formation built upon the core verb 'examine'. This verb traces back to the Latin examinare, meaning to weigh or test, which itself derives from examen, the tongue of a balance scale—a tool for precise assessment. The prefix 'un-', of ancient Germanic lineage, is a prolific negator in English, directly reversing the state described. The suffix '-ed' converts the verbal action into a descriptive adjective. Thus, the literal construction "not having been weighed or tested" evolved into the modern abstract sense of something not subjected to scrutiny, analysis, or thoughtful consideration.
Analysis
- un: A prefix of Germanic origin (Old English) meaning "not," used to form negatives. - examine: A verb from Latin examinare ("to weigh, test, consider"), derived from examen ("a means of weighing, test"). - ed: A suffix of Germanic origin (Old English) used to form adjectives from verbs, indicating a state or condition.