untested

Untested is an adjective used to describe something that has not undergone formal testing or verification. It is commonly applied to software, hardware, products, and ideas to indicate that performance, safety, reliability, or compliance has not yet been demonstrated. The term frequently appears in development, quality assurance, regulatory, and research contexts.

In software development, untested code or features have not been validated by tests such as unit, integration, or system testing. Marking components as untested helps teams communicate risk and prioritize quality assurance activities. Untested code may be more prone to defects or unintended behavior until appropriate tests are performed and results reviewed.

In hardware and product development, untested prototypes or components have not been qualified under expected operating conditions. This can have implications for reliability, safety, and regulatory compliance. Manufacturers and developers often distinguish between prototypes, pilot versions, and production-ready releases to reflect testing status.

In research and analysis, an untested hypothesis or model has not been supported by empirical evidence or validated against experiments. Such ideas may guide future experiments but should be treated as provisional until data supports or refutes them.

Etymology and related terms: untasted is not commonly used in this sense; untested derives from un- (not) + tested. Related concepts include verification, validation, quality assurance, test plans, and risk management. The label is typically a temporary status that prompts further testing, data collection, or evaluation before broader deployment or acceptance.