un ‧ ac ‧ knowl ‧ edged /ˌʌnəkˈnɒlɪdʒd◂ $ -ˈnɑː-/ BrE AmE adjective
1 . ignored or not noticed:
Unacknowledged anger can often cause problems in later life.
2 . not receiving the public thanks, praise, or reward that something deserves:
Women’s work in the home tends to be both unpaid and unacknowledged.
3 . the unacknowledged leader/authority etc someone who is a leader etc but who has not publicly or officially been given that position