English Reference
Idiom idiom

unknown quantity

Meaning

A person or thing whose nature or value is a mystery.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Examples
SIMPLE

“The new player is an unknown quantity for our team.”

CONTEXTUAL

“We have no data on this candidate, so they remain an unknown quantity before the final interview.”

COMPLEX

“Because the startup had never launched a product before, investors viewed the company as an unknown quantity in a competitive market.”

Anchors to
Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    quality over quantity

    An idiom emphasizing the preference for high-quality items or experiences rather than a large number of them. It suggests that focusing on excellence and value is more desirable than simply accumulating more, regardless of its worth. This principle can be applied to various aspects of life, from material possessions to personal relationships and work.

Last updated August 10, 2026