not known; not within the range of one's knowledge, experience, or understanding; strange; unfamiliar.
not discovered, explored, identified, or ascertained: the unknown parts of Antarctica.
not widely known; not famous; obscure: an unknown writer.
—n.
a thing, influence, area, factor, or person that is unknown: the many unknowns in modern medicine; The director cast an unknown in the leading role.
a symbol representing an unknown quantity: in algebra, analysis, etc., frequently represented by a letter from the last part of the alphabet, as x, y, or z.