Unreduced

Unreduced is an adjective formed by the prefix un- and the verb reduced. It generally denotes that something has not been simplified, lowered, or brought to its simplest or most fundamental form. The term is used across disciplines to contrast with a form that has already undergone reduction or simplification.

In mathematics, unreduced commonly describes a fraction or ratio that has not been simplified to lowest terms. For example, 6/8 is unreduced because the numerator and denominator share a common factor; dividing by 2 yields the reduced fraction 3/4. The concept underpins procedures for computing greatest common divisors and for presenting numbers in simplest form. In other mathematical contexts, unreduced expressions or forms may refer to objects before they are simplified or standardized.

In linguistics and phonology, unreduced can refer to vowels or syllables that retain full, full-quality vowel sounds as opposed to reduced vowels, which occur in unstressed positions and are often centralized or shortened (as in a schwa). An unreduced vowel is typically found in stressed syllables and contributes to distinctions in pronunciation and meaning.

In scientific and technical writing, unreduced may describe data, observations, or results kept in their original, raw form before processing, normalization, or compression. The term helps distinguish between initial measurements and their processed or simplified counterparts.

The precise meaning of unreduced depends on context, but it generally signals that a form has not yet undergone the usual reduction, simplification, or normalization steps characteristic of a given field. See also reduced, reduction, and lowest terms.