unfamiliar

adjective

un·​fa·​mil·​iar ˌən-fə-ˈmil-yər How to pronounce unfamiliar (audio)
: not familiar:
a
: not well-known : strange
an unfamiliar place
b
: not well acquainted
unfamiliar with the subject
unfamiliarity
ˌən-fə-ˌmil-ˈyer-ə-tē How to pronounce unfamiliar (audio)
-ˌmi-lē-ˈyer-
-ˈya-rə-
noun
unfamiliarly adverb

Examples of unfamiliar in a Sentence

He gets nervous when he is in unfamiliar surroundings. The book is full of unfamiliar words.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For those unfamiliar with the lore, Sam the chimp rose to regional fame in the late 1970s when he was abandoned in Boone County, Kentucky, by a bankrupt carnival and then used as tailgate entertainment in the Cincinnati area, the bar's website states. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 13 Nov. 2024 This was important, explains Takagi, because cats have a strong fear of novelty and unfamiliar people and places. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024 Traveling for work often presents an endless array of distractions from reaching fitness goals — tight schedules, jet lag, unfamiliar environments. Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024 For those unfamiliar with the story, here are the facts: In August 1892, businessman Andrew Borden and his wife Abby were brutally murdered by multiple blows to their heads with a hatchet (actually 19 for her and 10-11 for him). Julie Jordan, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unfamiliar 

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfamiliar was in 1594

Dictionary Entries Near unfamiliar

Cite this Entry

“Unfamiliar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfamiliar. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

unfamiliar

adjective
un·​fa·​mil·​iar ˌən-fə-ˈmil-yər How to pronounce unfamiliar (audio)
1
: not well-known : strange
an unfamiliar place
2
: not well acquainted
unfamiliar with the subject
unfamiliarity
-ˌmil-ˈyar-ət-ē How to pronounce unfamiliar (audio)
-ˌmil-ē-ˈ(y)ar-
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unfamiliar

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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