unconnected

Everyday

1. Not joined or linked to something: an unconnected wire or printer. tree →
2. Not related; having nothing to do with each other: two unconnected events. tree →

In the lessons

In science: an unconnected wire breaks a circuit, so the bulb stays off. In stories and news: «The two fires were unconnected» means one did not cause the other. In maths, unconnected dots or points have no line between them.

Examples

• The bulb did not light because one wire was unconnected. tree →
• The police said the two robberies were unconnected. tree →
• My printer is unconnected, so nothing prints. tree →
• Her bad mood was unconnected to the test result. tree →
• Draw lines to join the unconnected dots. tree →
• The village was unconnected to the internet until last spring. tree →

Note

Takes «an». Often «unconnected to» or «unconnected with». Opposite: connected, linked, related. In a circuit, a single unconnected wire means no current flows at all.