unwritten

Unwritten is an adjective meaning not written down or not recorded in writing. It can describe information, rules, or histories that exist in practice but have not been codified in text. It can also refer to languages or traditions that are primarily oral rather than written. In broader use, unwritten contrasts with anything that is written, printed, or codified.

Etymology: the word is formed from the prefix un- combined with written. It derives from Old English unwriten, itself from writen, and has been used in English since the Middle English period to distinguish things known or practiced without formal documentation.

Common uses: unwritten rules or norms are social expectations that guide behavior without formal documentation, such as etiquette or professional conduct learned informally. The phrase “unwritten law” appears in various legal and cultural contexts to denote customary principles not explicitly stated in statutes. In constitutional theory, an “unwritten constitution” describes a system in which fundamental rules arise from statutes, case law, and conventions rather than from a single formal document; the United Kingdom is often cited as an example. In linguistics or anthropology, unwritten knowledge refers to tacit understanding not captured in records or formal instruction. Writers may also discuss an unwritten narrative as content imagined but not published.

See also unwritten rule, unwritten law, tacit knowledge.

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