undomesticated

/ˌʌn.dəˈmes.tɪ.keɪ.tɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌn.dəˈmes.tɪ.keɪ.t̬ɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ən-də-ˈme-sti-ˌkā-təd/ (ame, mw)

undomesticated — adjective

  • undomesticatedpositive
  • more undomesticatedcomparative
  • most undomesticatedsuperlative

1. not useful or interested in household tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and looki

1.形容詞C1
釋義

not useful or interested in household tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and looking after children

例句

Linh has always been undomesticated — she cannot cook a single meal.

predicative: be + undomesticated

After three years of living alone, Owen remains completely undomesticated.

intensified with adverb: completely undomesticated

同義詞
  • unhomely

    very rare; more about a place feeling not cozy than a person's skills

  • non-domestic

    even rarer; refers more broadly to anything outside the home

反義詞
  • domesticated

    the direct antonym; describes someone skilled at or interested in housework

  • homemaking

    positive trait of managing a household well

文法句型

be + undomesticated

undomesticated + noun (person/bachelor/husband)

用法筆記

Often used humorously or self-deprecatingly to describe someone's lack of homemaking skills. More common in informal conversation than in formal writing.

常見錯誤

I feel so undomesticated today' (meaning temporarily not wanting to cook).
I'm hopelessly undomesticated
💡I cannot cook anything beyond instant noodles.' — 'undomesticated' describes a general personality trait, not a temporary mood.

2. living wild and not kept by humans for work, food, or companionship

2.形容詞C2
釋義

living wild and not kept by humans for work, food, or companionship

例句

Undomesticated wolves still roam the forests of northern Canada and Alaska.

attributive: undomesticated + species name

The zookeeper explained that undomesticated cats, such as lions, require very careful handling.

attributive with category example

同義詞
  • wild

    broader term; can also describe untamed landscapes or behaviour, not limited to species biology

  • untamed

    emphasises not being brought under control, can apply to both animals and nature

  • feral

    refers to a formerly domesticated species that has returned to a wild state, not the same as never-domesticated

反義詞
  • domesticated

    the direct opposite; bred and raised by humans for practical purposes

  • tame

    trained to be comfortable around humans; a tame animal may or may not be fully domesticated

文法句型

undomesticated + animal/species

remain + undomesticated

用法筆記

Not the same as 'wild' — a wild animal has never had contact with humans, whereas 'undomesticated' contrasts with animals that humans have selectively bred and trained for specific purposes.

常見錯誤

That undomesticated cat in my yard keeps fighting with my pets' (for a stray domestic cat).
That feral cat in my yard keeps fighting with my pets.
💡stray domestic cats that have returned to the wild are 'feral', not 'undomesticated', which refers to species never domesticated.