Unlike

How to spell unlike

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce unlike

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does unlike mean?

1. prepositionDifferent from, or in contrast to, someone or something.
2. adjectiveNot alike; differing in nature or appearance.

Unlike in a sentence

• preposition

  Unlike her older sister, she preferred quiet weekends at home.

• adjective

  The twins had grown so unlike that strangers never guessed they were related.

• preposition

  The new manager, unlike his predecessor, answered every email promptly.

• adjective

  Their two writing styles were entirely unlike, despite the shared subject.

Where does unlike come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This word is a native English formation built from the prefix 'un-', meaning 'not', and 'like', meaning 'similar' or 'resembling'. The 'like' element descends from Old English 'gelic', which literally meant 'having the same form or body', from a Germanic root that also gave us the word 'alike'. By the time of Middle English the prefixed form 'unlike' was in steady use to express dissimilarity and contrast. Over the centuries it broadened from a plain adjective ('the two are unlike') into the common prepositional use we rely on today, as in 'unlike her brother'. Because both of its parts are short, everyday English elements, the spelling has stayed transparent and stable, which is why it rarely trips up adult writers.

How the word is built

• un- (not)
• like (similar, resembling)