/un mahrkt"/ , adj.
1. not marked.
2. Ling.
a. characterized by the absence of a distinctive phonological feature, as /p/ , which, in contrast to /b/ , lacks the distinctive feature of voicing.
b. characterized by the absence of a grammatical marker, as the singular in English in contrast to the plural, which is typically marked by an -s ending.
c. neutral with regard to an element of meaning specified by a semantically related item.
d. occurring more typically than an alternative form. Cf. marked (def. 4).
[ 1400-50; late ME; see UN- 1 , MARKED ]