ungelöster

Ungelöster is a German adjective meaning not solved or unresolved. It is formed with the negating prefix un- and the past participle gelöst, and is used to describe things that have not reached a solution or resolution. The form inflects like a standard German adjective and changes with gender, number, and case. Examples: der ungelöste Fall, den ungelösten Fall, dem ungelösten Fall; die ungelösten Fragen; das ungelöste Rätsel; eine ungelöste Aufgabe.

In usage, ungelöster typically refers to problems, questions, or cases that remain without an answer or conclusion. It is common in journalism, law enforcement, science, and everyday language to label a matter as ungelöster Fall or ungelöste Frage. The term carries a sense of ongoing ambiguity or incompleteness, rather than merely temporary delay.

Etymologically, ungelöster derives from lösen (to solve or to dissolve) with the negating prefix un- and the participle gelöst. This double sense mirrors German’s flexible use of lösen for both solving problems and dissolving substances, though in a purely linguistic sense they are distinct meanings that share the same base form.

See also: lösen, gelöst, ungelöst, unaufgeklärt, unsolved. In English, the closest translation is unresolved or unsolved, depending on context. The word is primarily used in contexts where a definitive answer or outcome has not yet been reached.