unclaimed

Everyday

1. Unclaimed means not collected or asked for by the person it belongs to, like an unclaimed prize or bag. tree →
2. Unclaimed land or money has nobody who owns it or asks for it. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and school: «lost property» is full of unclaimed coats; unclaimed prizes, unclaimed parcels. In history: explorers wrongly called land «unclaimed» even when people already lived there. Phrases: «unclaimed prize», «unclaimed baggage», «go unclaimed».

Examples

• The lost property box is full of unclaimed jumpers. tree →
• The raffle prize went unclaimed. tree →
• Unclaimed parcels are sent back after two weeks. tree →
• An unclaimed suitcase went round and round the airport belt. tree →
• Unclaimed items will go to the charity shop on Friday. tree →
• The explorers said the land was unclaimed, but people already lived there. tree →

Note

Often in «go unclaimed» or «remain unclaimed». «Claim» means to ask for something as yours. Trap: «unclaimed» land in history was often already home to Indigenous people.