an illness that can go unrecognized for yearsunrecognizedun‧rec‧og‧nized (also unrecognised British English) /ʌnˈrekəɡnaɪzd, -ˈrekə-/ adjective 
one of the great unrecognized jazzmen of the 1930s2not noticed or not thought to be important: an illness that can go unrecognized for years3an unrecognized group, meeting, agreement etc is not considered to be legal or acceptable by someone in authority4doing something without people recognizing who you are: He was able to walk down the street totally unrecognized.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Any living system is highly complex and subject to many environmental influences, some of which are probably totally unrecognized.
- But to those in distress, and towards unrecognized or emerging talent, he was unfailing in his generosity and support.
- For the present she would change him into an old beggar so that he could go everywhere unrecognized.
- Most often it is totally unconscious and goes unrecognized by staff and service users.
- There have been many adjustments, including some that have gone unrecognized or have been poorly understood.
- Those who could walk limped painfully home, in some cases so black with gunpowder they passed unrecognized.
- When uninterrupted by unforeseen or unrecognized obstacles, parents will go to great lengths to provide these advantages for their children.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY an illness that can go unrecognized for yearsCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
1not having received praise or respect for something good you have achieved: an illness that can go unrecognized for years· This intensive investigative process revealed infection by a previously unrecognized hantavirus.· Their fortunes may thereby serve as an early warning system to humankind of previously unrecognized environmental problems.
one of the great unrecognized jazzmen of the 1930s2not noticed or not thought to be important: an illness that can go unrecognized for years3an unrecognized group, meeting, agreement etc is not considered to be legal or acceptable by someone in authority4doing something without people recognizing who you are: He was able to walk down the street totally unrecognized.