undocumented en · ADJ
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English documented English undocumented From un- + documented.
Meanings
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(not-comparable) Lacking instructions or reference material.
Undocumented software can be very difficult to learn to use.
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(not-comparable) Not having official documents that provide identification, authorization, etc.
On arrival from a foreign port, undocumented foreign-built vessels, if laden with goods, wares or merchandise, may, with their cargoes, be subject to forfeiture.
1861, United States, War Department - Annual Reports:
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(not-comparable, of a person) Not having official documents that provide identification, authorization, etc. ▸ Not having official documentation required to legally enter, reside in, or work in a country.
One day after class I was talking to them about college, and one of my top students raised his hand and said he wasn’t sure he could go because he’s undocumented. He didn’t know if they’d let him in.
2017 May 25, Mark Zuckerberg, “Mark Zuckerberg’s Commencement address at Harvard”, in The Harvard Gazette, archived from the original on 11 Feb 2022:undocumented immigrant
In Tucker, another Atlanta suburb, an undocumented man attending church was arrested after ICE agents arrived, pastor Luis Ortiz told CNN. He said he was in the middle of his sermon when he noticed a couple of members of his church escort the man out.
2025 January 26, Priscilla Alvarez, Rosa Flores, “Trump administration launches nationwide immigration enforcement blitz”, in CNN, archived from the original on 09 Mar 2025:
Deriveds
undocumented worker · undocuqueer · undocumentedness · undocumented alien
Translations (12)
gl indocumentado ((of a person) not having official documentation to enter, reside in, or work in a country) · ca indocumentat (lacking documents for identification, authorization, etc.) · es indocumentado (lacking documents for identification, authorization, etc.) · fi ilman asianmukaisia asiakirjoja ((of a person) not having official documentation to enter, reside in, or work in a country) · es indocumentado ((of a person) not having official documentation to enter, reside in, or work in a country) · ca indocumentat ((of a person) not having official documentation to enter, reside in, or work in a country) · fi paperiton (lacking documents for identification, authorization, etc.) · pl nieudokumentowany ((of a person) not having official documentation to enter, reside in, or work in a country) · gl indocumentado (lacking documents for identification, authorization, etc.) · fi rekisteröimätön ((of a person) not having official documentation to enter, reside in, or work in a country) · sv papperslös ((of a person) not having official documentation to enter, reside in, or work in a country) · pl nieudokumentowany (lacking documents for identification, authorization, etc.)