[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/un/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [U](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/u/) / un

# un

fragment / prefix (un-); abbreviation (UN); French and Spanish word (un, «a/one»)

«un» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. As «un-» at the start of a word, it means «not» or «the opposite of»: unhappy (not happy), unkind, unlock (do the opposite of lock). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#m1)
2. UN (written in capitals) stands for the United Nations, a group of nearly all the countries of the world that works for peace. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#m2)
3. In French and Spanish, «un» means «a» or «one». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#m3)
4. (informal, dialect) In some speech «'un» is a clipped «one»: «a good 'un», «the little 'uns». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#m4)
5. In old dialect speech, «un» can mean «him» or «it». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#m5)

### In the lessons

In English lessons pupils learn that un- builds opposites; in maths, «un» is part of words like «unequal» and «unknown» (the number we are looking for). On the news «the UN» is the United Nations. In UK speech «a good 'un» means a good person. Phrases: «the UN», «UN peacekeepers», «a good 'un».

### Examples

- Add un- to «happy» and you get «unhappy». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#x1)
- The door was unlocked, so we went in. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#x2)
- The UN sends peacekeepers to troubled places. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#x3)
- In French, «un chat» means «a cat». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#x4)
- Grandad says our dog is a good 'un. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#x5)
- The little 'uns are playing in the sandpit. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#x6)
- Find the unknown number in the sum. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/#x7)

### Note

Not a normal word on its own in English. Do not confuse prefix un- with in-/im-/dis- (incorrect, impossible, dislike): each word takes its own. «Unlock» undoes an action; «unhappy» means «not». UN is said as two letters: «you-en».

## In Jewish tradition

It is a prefix meaning "not" in the commentary, and it is a stray scanning error in one quote. In the primary lessons: In English lessons pupils learn that un- builds opposites; in maths, «un» is part of words like «unequal» and «unknown» (the number we are looking for). On the news «the UN» is the United Nations. In UK speech «a good 'un» means a good person. Phrases: «the UN», «UN peacekeepers», «a good 'un».

### Examples

- But Isaac Myer states that there are un- doubted traces of pointing in Hebrew MSS. of the second century. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/un/#x1)
- It therefore follows that, according to the author of the Sefer Yetzirali II, the twenty-two letters are divided into ten double rns: -:c ,rox and twelve simple letters psy cjr "un Ti.-i. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/un/#x2)

### Note

Not a normal word on its own in English. Do not confuse prefix un- with in-/im-/dis- (incorrect, impossible, dislike): each word takes its own. «Unlock» undoes an action; «unhappy» means «not». UN is said as two letters: «you-en».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «un» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/un/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«un» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/un.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «un» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/un/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«un» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/un.html) on Mova free.