What is the Latin word for unenlightened?

The usual Latin words for “unenlightened” are rudis, impolītus, inērudītus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“unenlightened” in Latin

rudisrough, raw, uncultivated; unrefined, unskilled, awkward; rude impolītusrough, unpolished inērudītusuninformed, uneducated; illiterate; ignorant

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

unenlightened

(of men)(of men), rudis (uncultivated, as Ov., Fast., 2, 292, rude vulgus): impolitus: ineruditus (without education; opposed to eruditus, as Cic., De Or., 2, 31, 133, “genus hoc eorum, qui sibi eruditi videntur, hebes atque impolitum”). Unenlightened ages of the world, minus erudita hominum secula (Cic., Rep., 2, 10).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for unenlightened?: The usual Latin words for “unenlightened” are rudis, impolītus, inērudītus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.