Why do thaw and unthaw mean the same thing?

Question

If you look them up in the dictionary, they mean the same exact thing?

keep in mind that they do mean the same according to several reputable dictionaries. I checked before asking this question.

To Me2
There is such a word. take the time to go to any one of the online dictionaries and you'll find both words.

Answer 1

I looked up the verbs "thaw", "unthaw" and "defrost" in these dictionaries: Webster's New Twentieth Century (2129 pages), Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English and Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, and this is what I came up with:

1. defrost = "to become rid of ice or frost";
2. thaw= "to melt; to become liquid" (as in "the water pipe hasn't thawed");
3. "unthaw": inexistent.

However, as we know, lexicographers can't keep up with languages' constant changes. It takes them years to make and/or to revise a dictionary. For that reason, I've checked the Internet, and this is what I found:

1. wsu.edu/~brians/errors/unthaw.html

according to this source, "unthaw" is "an illogical negation" (I couldn't agree more because, as we all know, the prefix "un-" means "not" (cf. undo, untie, unidentified, etc.);

2. "unthaw" ("The Free Dictionary" by Farlex and also "Wikipedia"): according to these sources, "unthaw" means "to become or cause to become soft or liquid".

My opinion (as an applied linguist): "unthaw" is certainly used by a great number of people (probably in the south of the USA). However, since it is a "regionalism", chances are it will never be included in dictionaries such as Webster's and Longman's. For that reason, it will be certainly considered "substandard", that is, not accepted in formal writing.

Answer 2

This must be an American dictionary. Americans make up words all the time There is no such word as unthaw. The words are thaw or defrost.

To unthaw would be to freeze something in my opinion.

Answer 3

Unthaw is not in the dictionary I have, but the dictionary did say that UN (not verbatim) was used to change a noun to a verb or something like that. Here in the south, unthaw is what you plan to do to meat or other frozen item, and thaw(ed) is what it is when you go start dinner!

Answer 4

"Unthaw" isn't a real word. It's an informal word first missused by an unfortunate individual, but soon gained usage by the masses. Never use the word "unthaw" in a formal setting. People who know better will laugh at you.

Answer 5

Because the snow man came in the house and he had a hard time to speak, until he got thawed out. When he thaw dat he was unthawing he got worried and ran to the freezer to get a bag of ice.

Answer 6

To my knowledge, there is no word "unthaw". If it existed it would mean to restore to a frozen state.My dictionary doesn't contain that word.

Answer 7

Unthaw and dethaw sound hillbilly to me. why not say thaw and forget the others?

Answer 8

thaw and unthaw doesnt mean the same thing. if you unthaw something wouldnt you be freezin it?

Answer 9

I've never heard anyone use "unthaw" personally.

Answer 10

Why do you drive on the parkway and park on the driveway?
Who knows!!?!