Unvollständige

Unvollständige is a German term that can function as an adjective meaning incomplete or as a nominalized form referring to something that is not complete. It is formed from un- (negation) and vollständig (complete). In ordinary usage, it agrees with the noun it modifies, taking the appropriate endings (for example: eine unvollständige Darstellung, unvollständige Teile, unvollständigen Bericht).

As an adjective, unvollständig is used to describe objects, processes, or states that lack completeness. Examples include phrases such as eine unvollständige Darstellung (an incomplete presentation) or unvollständige Teile (incomplete parts). In plural or when used with a definite article, the endings adapt according to German grammar rules.

When capitalized as a noun, das Unvollständige can denote the state or concept of incompleteness rather than a specific object. This nominal usage is analogous to other nominalized adjectives in German and is sometimes employed in philosophical, literary, or artistic contexts to emphasize fragmentariness, open-endedness, or unfinished qualities. The more common noun for the abstract idea remains Unvollständigkeit.

In cultural contexts, das Unvollständige may appear as a motif, concept, or stylistic label rather than as a fixed title. There is no universally recognized work or doctrine by the name Unvollständige; rather, the term is used descriptively to evoke incompleteness in essays, poetry, or visual art, often alongside related notions of partiality and fragility. For linguistic reference, see also unvollständig, Unvollständigkeit, and the concept of incompleteness in German studies.