German Conversation · Level 82
60 words
German word
unscheinbar
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈʊnʃaɪ̯nbaːɐ̯/
Meaning
- adjectiveunassuming
Example
Das unscheinbare Haus liegt in der Nebenstraße.
The unassuming house is on a side street.
More examples
Trotz der unscheinbaren Kleidung fiel sie durch ihre Kompetenz auf.
Despite her unassuming clothing, she stood out for her competence.
Core concept
A modest house blends into a side street and passes without a second glance.
Common phrases
unscheinbare Kleidung
unassuming clothing
unscheinbares Äußeres
unassuming appearance
Similar words
unauffällig: Not drawing attention or standing out in appearance.
dezent: Tastefully restrained in appearance, without flashy features.
schlicht: Simple in appearance, with little decoration or ornament.
unaufdringlich: Visually restrained and unlikely to feel imposing or intrusive.
Definition in German
äußerlich schlicht oder unauffällig, so dass es nicht sofort ins Auge fällt
Word origin
The adjective goes back to Middle High German unschînber and combines the negative prefix un- with Schein ('appearance') and the suffix -bar.
Usage tips
- Scheinbar means 'apparently' or 'seemingly', whereas unscheinbar means inconspicuous, so the two forms are not interchangeable.