verb

unbutton

uhn-BUH-tuhn

Unbutton (verb) means to undo the buttons of a piece of clothing. Example: “He unbuttoned his coat as soon as he got inside.”

verb

To undo the buttons of a piece of clothing.

"He unbuttoned his coat as soon as he got inside."

"She unbuttoned the cuffs of her shirt before rolling up her sleeves."

How to use unbutton

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo open something up by undoing its buttons.

Common pairings

unbutton a shirt unbutton a coat

unbuttoned past tense, unbuttons singular

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Can you complete this real example?

He _____ his coat as soon as he got inside.

From Middle English unbotonen, from un- + button.

Origin: Middle English

button mutton Sutton Hutton Dutton glutton bellybutton

What does “unbutton” mean?

The word “unbutton” means to undo the buttons of a piece of clothing. In plain terms, to open something up by undoing its buttons.

How do you pronounce “unbutton”?

“Unbutton” is pronounced uhn-BUH-tuhn (/ʌnˈbʌtən/ in IPA).

How do you use “unbutton” in a sentence?

Here is “unbutton” used in a sentence: “He unbuttoned his coat as soon as he got inside.”

What part of speech is “unbutton”?

“Unbutton” is a verb.

Where does the word “unbutton” come from?

The word “unbutton” comes from Middle English. From Middle English unbotonen, from un- + button.