unwary

English

Etymology

From un- +‎ wary. Compare Old English unwær (“unaware, unwary”) and unwærlīċ (“unwary, heedless”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛəɹi

Adjective

unwary (comparative unwarier, superlative unwariest)

1. Lacking caution as a result of naïveté or inexperience
2. Unprepared; not watchful

Quotations

1885, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, composer, […] The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu, London: Chappel & Co., […], →OCLC:

Three little maids who, all unwary,
Come from a ladies' seminary

Synonyms

• careless

Related terms

• unwarily

Translations

lacking caution

• Bulgarian: непредпазлив (bg) (nepredpazliv)
• Georgian: წინდაუხედავი (c̣indauxedavi), დაუდევარი (daudevari)
• German: unbedarft (de), unachtsam (de), unvorsichtig (de)
• Irish: anfhaiteach
• Italian: incauto (it)
• Manx: neuhwoaieagh, neuarreydagh, neuhastagh
• Maori: hautāruru
• Spanish: incauto (es)

unprepared

• Maori: hautāruru

Anagrams

• runway, unwray