Unless

Pronunciation

• IPA: /É™nˈlÉ›s/,
• Rhymes: -É›s

Origin

onlesse, from on lesse, from "on a less condition" ("on" became un-)

Alternative forms

• unlesse obsolete

Full definition of unless

Conjunction

1. Except on a specified condition; if not.I’m leaving unless I get a pay rise (AmE: raise).
• 1971, w:Dr. Seuss, w, Unless someone like you...cares a whole awful lot...nothing is going to get better...It's not.
• 1839, Denison Olmsted, A Compendium of Astronomy Page 95Secondly, When a body is once in motion it will continue to move forever, unless something stops it. When a ball is struck on the surface of the earth, the friction of the earth and the resistance of the air soon stop its motion.

Antonyms

• (except on a condition) if

Derived terms

• precisely unless
• unlesss
• unless and until, until and unless