What does unquoted mean?
Unquoted is an adjective meaning not enclosed in quotation marks. It can describe a passage, phrase, line of dialogue, or other text that is presented directly rather than as someone’s exact words. The term also has a financial use: an unquoted price is one without a publicly displayed quotation, and an unquoted instrument may lack an active public market listing. In editing, unquoted clarifies how text is presented without necessarily implying that the words are not a quotation in a broader sense. In publishing, it may identify material reproduced outside quotation marks, such as an excerpt, a heading, or a displayed passage. In finance, the word distinguishes prices or securities without a current market quotation from those that are actively quoted. The prefix un- combined with quote makes the word especially useful when the distinction between formal quotation and direct presentation matters.
adjectiveNot enclosed in quotation marks. In financial contexts, it can also mean not having a publicly quoted price or value.
- Not enclosed in quotation marks; presented directly rather than as a quotation.
- Not having a publicly quoted price, value, or market listing.
"The article included an unquoted passage from the interview."
"The author reproduced the letter as an unquoted block of text."
"Because the shares were unquoted, their market value could not be verified publicly."
In editing, unquoted text stands free of quotation marks; in finance, it can describe a price or instrument with no public quotation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of unquoted
Unquoted was formed in English by combining the prefix un- with quote, meaning to place within quotation marks. Quote derives from Latin through French and originally referred to numbering or counting, especially indicating the number of pages in a book. Its modern sense of reproducing someone’s words within quotation marks developed later.
How unquoted is actually used
The word is most common in editorial, publishing, and financial contexts. In general writing, it may sound somewhat technical when contrasted with quoted or directly quoted material.
Easily confused with unquoted
Unquoted is normally an adjective describing something that has no quotation marks, while unquote is a verb meaning to remove quotation marks or signal the end of a quotation.