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Glite Dictionary
📄 Not arranged 💾 Not prepared
unformatted

unformatted

5.1
Does not allow a computer to save or find files
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈfɔːrmətɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sin formatear
  • The USB drive is unformatted.

Examples

  • The external drive was unformatted and needed to be set up before use.

  • The technician explained that the memory card was unformatted and required formatting to work properly.

  • If a disk is unformatted, your computer will not recognize it for saving files.

  • Why is this drive still unformatted?

  • The external hard drive appeared unformatted, so I couldn't save any files until I set it up properly.

  • Before using the new USB stick, I realized it was unformatted, requiring a quick format to store my documents.

  • My laptop failed to recognize the new partition because it was unformatted and needed a file system.

Compounds

unformatted capacity
  • Specialized
6.6

Amount of data a disk can hold before it is prepared for use

Surface Forms

unformatted positive

Morphology

unformatted = formatted (transparent) = un + format + ed

The sense is a direct negation of 'formatted' in the technical sense (not having been given a file system); 'un-' + 'formatted' is clear to learners familiar with computing vocabulary.

Etymology

Unformatted comes from un- 'not' and format 'shape' or 'order', like the word 'form' or 'format'. So an unformatted disk or memory card has no file 'shape' or structure and cannot hold or organize files until you format it.