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unarticulated

unarticulated

8.1
A sound made without clear words, like a grunt
  • adjective
  • /ˌʌnɑːrˈtɪkjʊleɪtɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : no articulado
  • The child's cries were unarticulated, revealing her frustration without using any words.

Examples

  • Founded as it is in this presymbolic order where language is unarticulated sounds rather than imbued with symbolic significance, individual judgment is therefore prior to the imposition of a fixed representational code.

    Academic text (2001)
  • The troubles of the disaffected are not unarticulated.

    Academic text (1995)
  • During the meeting, his thoughts remained unarticulated, as he struggled to find the right words.

  • Her unarticulated feelings of confusion were evident in her hesitant gestures.

Synonyms

inarticulate
vsunarticulated
9 7.4

Not able to speak clearly or find the right words

describes sounds lacking clear word or syllable pronunciation
unvocalized
vsunarticulated
  • Specialized
8.7

Not pronounced aloud or written without vowel marks

is spoken without normal words or clearly formed syllables
unsyllabled
vsunarticulated
  • Specialized
9.9

A word or sound that has no separate syllables

omits normal words or clear syllable pronunciation
unsyllabic
vsunarticulated
  • Specialized
9.9

A sound that does not make its own syllable

uses sounds without normal word or syllable structure
unbreathed
vsunarticulated
9.6

Thought but not spoken aloud

involves uttering sounds without clear words or syllables

Antonyms

3.2

Words or actions make it clear

How Articulated

clear
8 1.0
unarticulated
  • Specialized
8.1
slurred
3 6.0

Surface Forms

unarticulated positive

Morphology

unarticulated = articulated + un (transparent) = un + articulate + ed

The adjective is formed by negating 'articulated' with 'un-', so the meaning is directly derived.

Etymology

Unarticulated is made from un- ('not') and articulate, which comes from the Latin articulare meaning 'to join' and later 'to speak clearly'. Think of articulate as making clear parts of sound, so unarticulated describes a sound that is not formed into clear words or syllables.