unreaped

Unreaped is an adjective that describes something not yet harvested or gathered. In agriculture, unreaped fields have not undergone the act of reaping, so the crop remains in the field and the grain or produce has not been collected. The term is also used figuratively to denote opportunities, potential, or outcomes that have not yet been seized or realized.

Etymology: The word is formed by adding the prefix un- to the verb reap; the resulting form takes the past participle reaped. Reap derives from Old English rēapian, with cognates in other Germanic languages, and is connected with the sense of cutting or gathering crops.

Usage: In literary contexts, unreaped often conveys abundance pending harvest or a sense of waiting and neglect. Metaphorically, it can describe unrecovered gains, unexploited opportunities, or unfulfilled potential, emphasizing what remains to be brought in or accomplished.

See also: harvest, reap, unharvested, harvest season, agriculture, untapped potential.