unwashed

Unwashed is an English adjective describing something that has not undergone the process of washing. It can refer to people, clothing, dishes, or other objects that have not been cleaned. The term is used in everyday language, hygiene guidance, and descriptive writing to indicate a lack of cleanliness or freshness.

In practical use, unwashed hands are often mentioned in health and safety contexts as a potential source of contamination. Unwashed dishes, laundry, or neglecting to wash produce can be discussed in domestic, food-safety, or public-health settings. The word helps distinguish between cleaned and not-cleaned items in both instructions and descriptions.

The phrase also appears in idiomatic expressions. In historical and literary contexts, the form the unwashed masses has been used to refer to a broad, unspecified group of people, typically implying a lower social or cultural status. While common in rhetoric and satire, such usage is considered pejorative or classist in contemporary language.

Etymology-wise, unwashed is formed from the prefix un- attached to the past participle washed. The construction is a standard pattern in English and is attested from Middle English to the present day, reflecting a straightforward negation of the root verb.