unheard-of

American  

[uhn-hurd-uhv, -ov, -uhv] / ʌnˈhɜrdˌʌv, -ˌɒv, -əv /

adjective

1. that was never heard of; unknown.

   an unheard-of artist.

2. such as was never known before; unprecedented.

   an unheard-of salary.

3. shocking or outrageous.

   unheard-of conduct.

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unheard-of British  

adjective

1. previously unknown

   an unheard-of actress

2. without precedent

   an unheard-of treatment

3. highly offensive

   unheard-of behaviour

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unheard of Idioms  

1. Very unusual, extraordinary, as in It's unheard of to have all one's money refunded two years after the purchase. This expression alludes to a circumstance so unusual that it has never been heard of. [Late 1500s]

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Etymology

Origin of unheard-of

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

Even Father, whose daily stroll was as predictable as his own clock chimes, broke his routine to go walking at the unheard-of hour of 10:00 a.m.

From Literature

Maybe that was why they’d adopted the unheard-of measure of ‘owning’ prey.

From Literature

"That's an unheard-of pace of innovation in developing complex structural alloys."

From Science Daily

She also commissioned original scores from American composers, choosing to use contemporary music from her own country—an unheard-of thing to do when she began, Ross says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Those visions, as unheard-of divine communion with a woman, draw her into conflict with priests who find them false.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• exceptional
• inconceivable
• little-known
• unbelievable
• undiscovered
• unprecedented