l’ignoto
unknown
Definition & meaning
Ignoto means unknown or unfamiliar: something or someone not known, identified, or discovered.
It can also be used as a noun, l’ignoto, meaning the unknown—what is beyond current knowledge or experience.
Grammar & Word origin
An adjective with four forms: masculine ignoto, feminine ignota, masculine plural ignoti, and feminine plural ignote. As a noun, it is masculine: l’ignoto.
It comes from Latin ignotus, formed from the negative prefix in- and notus, “known.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- sconosciuto — “unknown” or “unfamiliar”; more common in everyday speech than ignoto.
- misterioso — “mysterious”; suggests secrecy or difficulty in understanding, not simply a lack of knowledge.
- noto — “known” or “well-known”; the direct opposite.
- conosciuto — “known” or “familiar”; a common everyday opposite.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Mi attira l'ignoto quando pianifico un nuovo viaggio.noun
I am drawn to the unknown when I plan a new trip.
Abbiamo evitato il sentiero ignoto perché sembrava poco sicuro.adjective
We avoided the unknown path because it seemed unsafe.
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