unknown quantity

1. 1.

   a factor in a given situation whose bearing and importance is not apparent

   “I don't know what the new man will do; he's still an unknown quantity”

   Broaderfactor
2. 2.

   a variable whose values are solutions of an equation

   Synonymsunknown

   Broadervariable

Questions about unknown quantity

What does unknown quantity mean?

unknown quantity means "a factor in a given situation whose bearing and importance is not apparent". That is the primary sense; the word has 2 in total, listed in full on this page.