unprecedented
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of unprecedented
Explanation
Something that is unprecedented is not known, experienced, or done before. If you've never gone on a family beach vacation but you're planning one now, you could refer to it as an unprecedented decision. The root of this word is precedent, a noun referring to something done or said that is used as an example to be followed in the future. In law, a precedent is a legal decision that is used as a standard in future cases. So the adjective unprecedented, meaning "having no precedent," was formed from the prefix un- "not," the noun precedent, and the suffix –ed "having."
Vocabulary lists containing unprecedented
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Fast Food Nation
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The study, titled "Unprecedented burning in tropical peatlands during the 20th century compared to the previous two millennia," is published in Global Change Biology.
From Science Daily • Mar. 19, 2026
Unprecedented turbulence at a pair of quantitative hedge funds managed by the industry pioneer Renaissance Technologies is causing the firm to consider adjusting its trading models, according to people familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025
Unprecedented change brings us to the edge of survival.
From Salon • Mar. 7, 2025
Unprecedented air pollution in the Pakistani city of Lahore has forced authorities to close all primary schools for a week.
From BBC • Nov. 3, 2024
Unprecedented things happened to Ger, but he was never very clear afterwards as to what they were.
From The Ffolliots of Redmarley by Harker, L. Allen (Lizzie Allen)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
