WordGarden.iouneaten
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /ʌnˈiːtən/
US
- /ʌnˈiːtən/
Meanings
Adjective
not eaten or left untouched as food
Beyond the definition
"Uneaten" describes food that has not been eaten yet. It is the food left on your plate, the slice of cake no one touched, or the cookies your grandma baked that are still sitting in the tin. Think of a picnic basket with a few uneaten sandwiches still packed inside at the end of the day.
It often suggests that the food is still there and could be eaten later. A dog might stare at an uneaten piece of toast on the floor, or a cook might wrap up uneaten portions of dinner for the next day. You would not call a rock "uneaten." The word is mainly used for food or things people or animals normally eat.
The word "uneaten" describes food that remains after a meal or food that was available but not touched. It usually refers to something edible that is still there, such as an uneaten slice of pie, an uneaten lunch in a school bag, or uneaten carrots left on a plate. The idea is simple: the food was there, but nobody ate it.
You will often see "uneaten" when people talk about leftovers, waste, or food that may be saved for later. "There was plenty of uneaten turkey after Thanksgiving" means some of the turkey was left over. A parent might point to uneaten vegetables on a child's plate, or a restaurant worker might clear away uneaten bread from a table. In these cases, the word helps show that the food was prepared or served, but stayed untouched.
Context matters. We normally use the word for food, not for random objects. You would not say "the mountain is uneaten," but you could easily say "an uneaten slice of pie was still sitting on the windowsill." Depending on the situation, the word can suggest a simple leftover, a missed chance to enjoy something tasty, or a small sign of waste when good food is left behind.
Examples
- 1
School lunch
Half the sandwich was still uneaten when the bell rang.
- 2
Leftovers
We put the uneaten pizza in the fridge for lunch the next day.
- 3
Family meal
Most of the vegetables went uneaten because the kids were already full.
- 4
Restaurant kitchen
The soup came back to the kitchen completely uneaten.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- uneatenadjective