unblooded
1
9.3
- adjective
- /ʌnˈblʌdɪd/
- After training, the unblooded soldiers felt ready for combat.
Examples
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As an unblooded competitor, she felt nervous entering her first major tournament.
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The unblooded soldiers listened carefully to their commander's advice before the battle.
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Many unblooded recruits were eager to prove themselves on the front lines.
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The unblooded recruits were eager to prove themselves.
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The unblooded recruits were eager to prove themselves during their first training exercise.
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Although he was unblooded in combat, his determination was evident as he prepared for his first mission.
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The team had several veterans, but they also included unblooded players who were fresh to the competition.
Synonyms
1
8.2
Not yet tested in a difficult or dangerous activity
How Experienced
Surface Forms
Morphology
unblooded = blooded (opaque) = un + blood + ed
Although formed with recognizable morphemes 'un-' and '-ed', the adjective 'blooded' meaning 'experienced' is idiomatic and not deducible from the literal sense of 'blood'.
Etymology
Unblooded comes from the parts un- 'not' and blooded from 'blood', which long ago gave the image of someone who had their first fight or hunt and got blood on them; so a soldier who has not yet seen battle was called 'unblooded'. This helps you remember that unblooded means 'not yet tested in battle or competition'.