What does unidentified mean?
Unidentified is an adjective meaning that the identity, name, origin, or precise nature of a person, object, substance, or source has not been established. It is especially common in journalism, official reports, police investigations, and scientific writing. Saying “an unidentified witness” indicates that authorities do not yet know the person's identity; “an unidentified substance” means that the material has not been characterized or assigned a recognized name. The word is usually neutral, although it can sometimes imply that clarification is still expected. It is useful because it describes a provisional state of knowledge without making a premature claim about what the unknown thing is. In public communication, “unidentified” often serves as a temporary description that can be replaced with a specific name or description once an investigation or identification process is complete.
adjectiveNot having a known or established identity; not yet recognized, named, or determined.
- Not having a known or established identity; not yet recognized, named, or determined.
"The witness described an unidentified man who had been standing near the entrance."
"Police appealed for information about an unidentified vehicle near the railway station."
"The report does not identify the source of the disputed figure, referring only to an unidentified dataset."
Unidentified is the careful public label for something whose identity has not yet been established, whether the mystery concerns a person, an object, or even the origin of information.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unidentified come from?
Unidentified was formed in the 19th century by combining the prefix un- with identify. Identify derives from Latin identificare, a compound of id, meaning “the same,” and facere, meaning “to make,” reflecting the idea of making something or someone identifiable. Related English words include identity, identification, and identifiable, all of which belong to the same etymological family.
How unidentified is actually used
Neutral and broadly formal, especially common in news reports, official statements, investigations, and scientific documentation. It normally indicates that a person's identity or the origin or nature of something is still unknown, rather than suggesting that concealment was intended.