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ignoto

unknown person; the unknown

noun adjective ee-NYOH-toh Less Common
Descriptions & Qualities Quality

Origin: Latin 'ignotus,' from 'in-' (not) + 'notus' (known).

Usage Note

Ignoto as a noun means 'an unknown person' (un ignoto = an unidentified individual, often in police reports) or 'the unknown' (il grande ignoto = the great unknown). As an adjective it means 'unknown, unidentified.' It is more formal and literary than sconosciuto, which is the everyday word for 'unknown' or 'stranger.'

Examples

"Il quadro fu dipinto da un ignoto."

Natural Translation

The painting was done by an unknown person.

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