unknown unknown
nounEtymology
Popularized by Donald Rumsfeld in 2002, though used much earlier.
Definitions
An uncertainty of unknown magnitude, consequence, structure, and probability…
An uncertainty of unknown magnitude, consequence, structure, and probability characteristics, possibly with completely unsuspected existence; something that we don't know that we don't know.
- This means there are technical unknowns, unknown unknowns, and technical uncertainties in the contract.
- NASA officials often talk about the "unknown unknowns" – the unforeseen problems that catch them by surprise.
The neighborhood
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for unknown unknown. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA