# unwise

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ʌnˈwaɪz/ · frequency rank #25,966

## Definitions
1. Not wise; lacking wisdom

## Etymology
From Middle English unwis, from Old English unwīs (“unwise, foolish, ignorant, uninformed, insane”), equivalent to un- + wise. Cognate with Dutch onwijs (“unwise”), German unweise (“unwise”), Danish uvis (“unwise”), Swedish ovis (“unwise”), Icelandic óvís (“unwise”).

## Easily confused with
- **unite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/unite-vs-unwise)
- **Unwin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/unwin-vs-unwise)
- **unlike** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/unlike-vs-unwise)
- **unwind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/unwind-vs-unwise)
- **unisex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/unisex-vs-unwise)
- **unease** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/unease-vs-unwise)

## Common misspellings (8)
`nuwise`, `uniwse`, `unnwise`, `unwies`, `unwisse`, `unwsie`, `unwwise`, `uwnise`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/unwise