Definition of unwitting

The word "unwitting" originated in the late 16th century in the English language. It is a combination of two separate words, "un-" and "witting," each with their own histories. The prefix "un-" has been used in English for over a thousand years to indicate a lack or absence of something. It is believed to have originated from Old English "un-" or "ūn-," which served the same purpose. The word "witting" itself comes from the Middle English term "wittynge," which referred to understanding or knowledge. However, it gradually came to be associated with cunning or guile, and by the 14th century, it had taken on a more negative connotation. By combining these two words, "unwitting" was coined to describe someone who is unaware or uninformed about a particular situation or circumstance. Its first recorded use is in the English poet Edmund Spenser's epic poem "The Faerie Queene," published in 1590. In this work, Spenser employs the term to describe a character who is "unwitting and unknowing" of what is about to happen to them. Since then, the word "unwitting" has remained a part of the English language, often used to describe someone who is innocent or unsuspecting in a particular scenario. Today, it is commonly used in a variety of contexts, from legal and medical to everyday conversational settings.