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unwitting - 5 dictionary results

un⋅wit⋅ting

[uhn-wit-ing]
–adjective
1. inadvertent; unintentional; accidental: His insult, though unwitting, pained her.
2. not knowing; unaware; ignorant; oblivious; unconscious: an unwitting person.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE unwittende; see un- 1 , wit 2 , -ing 2


un⋅wit⋅ting⋅ly, adverb
un⋅wit⋅ting⋅ness, noun

un⋅wit

[uhn-wit]
–verb (used with object), -wit⋅ted, -wit⋅ting.
Obsolete. to render devoid of wit; derange.

Origin:
1595–1605; un- 2 + wit 1
un·wit·ting   (ŭn-wĭt'ĭng)   
adj.  
  1. Not knowing; unaware: an unwitting subject in an experiment.
  2. Not intended; unintentional: an unwitting admission of guilt.

[Middle English : un-, not; see un-1 + witting, present participle of witten, to know (from Old English witan; see weid- in Indo-European roots).]
un·wit'ting·ly adv.

Unwitting

Un*wit"ting\, a. Not knowing; unconscious; ignorant. -- Un*wit"ting*ly, adv.

unwitting 
O.E. unwitende, from un- (1) "not" + witting (see wit). Cf. O.H.G. unwizzanti, Ger. unwissend, O.N. uvitandi, Goth. unwitands. Rare after c.1600; revived c.1800.
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