unprecedented
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word 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.
He was detained in July 2021 while leaving his home in Havana to join unprecedented mass protests.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
Skyrocketing demand for HBM has given these companies unprecedented pricing power, putting Micron on track to become one of the most profitable companies in the world in 2027.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
In response, Hyundai’s union has made unprecedented demands seeking to enshrine job protections in the era of robots and AI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Balogun, who scored three goals at the World Cup, was able to start the USA's last-16 defeat by Belgium - a decision European football's governing body Uefa called "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable".
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
“An athlete was in the show. It was unprecedented, and it was shocking.”
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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.
