Pronunciation: [ʌnbˈɔːn] (IPA) 
The word "unborn" is spelled with a silent "b", which means that it is pronounced as "un-born" and not "un-bor-n". The IPA phonetic transcription for "unborn" is /ʌnˈbɔːn/. The first syllable "ʌn" is pronounced like "uhn" with a short "u" sound. The second syllable "bɔːn" is pronounced with a long "o" sound and a silent "b". This spelling is often confusing for non-native English speakers who may mistakenly add a sound to the "b".
Unborn is an adjective that refers to a living being that has not yet been born or brought into existence. It primarily pertains to the state of an organism or a fetus before it comes out of the womb or emerges as a fully formed creature. The term is most commonly used when discussing human or animal offspring before their birth.
In the context of human beings, the term unborn typically denotes a fetus in the developmental stage before birth. It encompasses the period from conception to the point of delivery. While in this state, the unborn child or fetus is still dependent on the mother's body for sustenance and development. This term carries a sense of potentiality and expectation, representing the stage of life before emerging into the world and experiencing the realities of existence.
The term unborn can also be extended to encompass other living entities, such as animals, when discussing their young before they are born. In this case, it describes the period of gestation and development within the mother's body.
In a broader sense, the term unborn can be metaphorically used to describe ideas, plans, or projects that have not yet materialized or come into being. It suggests that these concepts or aspirations are still in the early stages of development or have yet to be realized.
Not brought into life; still to appear; future.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "unborn" is a compound formed from the prefix "un-" meaning "not" or "lack of" and the past participle form of the verb "bear". The verb "bear" derives from the Old English word "beran" which originally meant "carry, bring, or sustain". "Unborn" can be traced back to the Old English word "unberan" meaning "not carried". Over time, the term evolved and came to specifically refer to something or someone who has not yet been brought into existence or birthed.
