unlike

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   marked by dissimilarity

   for twins they are very unlike

2. 2
   adj

   not equal in amount

   they distributed unlike (or unequal) sums to the various charities

3. 3
   adj

   Not like; dissimilar (to); having no resemblance; unalike.

   The brothers are quite unlike each other.

4. 4
   adj

   Unequal.

   They contributed in unlike amounts.

5. 5
   prep

   Different from; not in a like or similar manner.

   The disgust I felt after watching last weekend's horror movie was unlike anything I had felt before.

6. 6
   prep

   In contrast with; as opposed to.

   Claudia hardly ever drinks beer or wine, unlike Phillip, for whom the bar is practically a second home.

7. 7
   prep

   Not typical of one's character or personality.

   Being late is unlike him.

8. 8
   noun

   Something that is not like something else; something different.

   2012, J. Bogen, J. E. McGuire, How Things Are: Studies in Predication and the History of Philosophy and Science If the beings are many, then they must be likes and unlikes. But this is impossible, for unlikes cannot be likes, and likes cannot be unlikes.

Etymology

From Middle English unlic, unlich, from Old English unlīċ, unġelīċ (“unlike, different, dissimilar, diverse”), from Proto-Germanic *ungalīkaz. By surface analysis, un- + like. Cognate with Dutch ongelijk, German ungleich, Old Norse úlíkr (see there for North Germanic descendants).