undocumented

adj, noun — 4 senses

undocumented

adj

Etymology From un- + documented.

1

Lacking instructions or reference material.

  • Undocumented software can be very difficult to learn to use.
2

Not having official documents that provide identification, authorization, etc.

  • On arrival from a foreign port, undocumented foreign-built vessels, if laden with goods, wares or merchandise, may, with their cargoes, be subject to forfeiture.1861, United States, War Department - Annual Reports:
3

Of a person Not having official documentation required to legally enter, reside in, or work in a country.

  • undocumented immigrant
  • One day after class I was talking to them about college, and one of my top students raised his hand and said he wasn’t sure he could go because he’s undocumented. He didn’t know if they’d let him in.2017 May 25, Mark Zuckerberg, “Mark Zuckerberg’s Commencement address at Harvard”, in The Harvard Gazette, archived from the original on 11 Feb 2022:
1 more example
  • In Tucker, another Atlanta suburb, an undocumented man attending church was arrested after ICE agents arrived, pastor Luis Ortiz told CNN. He said he was in the middle of his sermon when he noticed a couple of members of his church escort the man out.2025 January 26, Priscilla Alvarez, Rosa Flores, “Trump administration launches nationwide immigration enforcement blitz”, in CNN, archived from the original on 09 Mar 2025:
Derived terms
undocumented alien, undocumentedness, undocumented worker, undocuqueer

undocumented

noun

Etymology From un- + documented.

1

Informal Synonym of undocumented immigrant.

  • Although the first generation is likely to have greater fluency than the undocumenteds, the controversy over bilingual education attests to the persistence of language difficulties.1986, Social Science Quarterly, volume 67, page 676:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.