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# unknown

«unknown» in Mova's school dictionary: **not known: an unknown number** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective, noun (unknown, unknowns)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Unknown means not known: an unknown number. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#m1)

2) Unknown means not famous: an unknown singer. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#m2)

3) In maths the unknown is the number you are trying to find, often written as a letter like x or as a box. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#m3)

4) The unknown is everything we do not know yet: a journey into the unknown. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

Maths: the number to be found, often written as a letter or a box: «the unknown number plus 5 is 12»; work back from what is given. Science: explorers and scientists study the unknown. Stories: an unknown visitor, the unknown soldier.

### examples

- The unknown number plus 5 is 12. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#x1)
- Find the unknown. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#x2)
- An unknown number of birds flew away. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#x3)
- Let x be the unknown. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#x4)
- The letter came from an unknown sender. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#x5)
- Space is full of unknown worlds. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#x6)
- The painter was unknown until after she died. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#x7)
- Then, silently, he let himself go into the unknown. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/#x8)

### note

Adjective and noun. Marks the quantity the question asks for; work back from what is given (unknown + 5 = 12, so unknown = 12 − 5). Trap: «an unknown number flew away» often must be found by subtraction. Safety: do not open messages from unknown people.

### In the corpora

- [Context clues can help you work out the meaning of an unknown word.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/20-vocabulary-in-context/16/)
- [You should go into unknown water feet first, because it may be shallow or hide rocks.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/7-swimming-and-water/14/)
- [You should never taste, sniff or drink anything from an unknown bottle or container.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/33-medicines-and-cleaning-products/15/)
- [Clicking on unknown links or pop-ups can bring viruses or tricks.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/59-staying-safe-and-kind-online/16/)
- [Unknown callers could be scammers, so a parent answers or the call is ignored.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/128-guest-at-the-table-and-the-phone/15/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «unknown» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unknown/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.