unusual

[uhn-yoo-zhoo-uh l, -yoozh-wuh l]

See more synonyms for unusual on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not usual, common, or ordinary; uncommon in amount or degree; exceptional: an unusual sound; an unusual hobby; an unusual response.

Origin of unusual

First recorded in 1575–85; un-¹ + usual

Related formsun·u·su·al·ly, adverbun·u·su·al·ness, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for unusual on Thesaurus.com

extraordinary, remarkable; rare, strange, singular, curious, queer, odd.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for unusual

Contemporary Examples

Each individual race involves an unusual collaboration between researchers, manufacturers, and public-health entities.
The Race for the Ebola Vaccine
Abby Haglage
January 7, 2015
So, in an unusual order (PDF) issued on New Years Day, District Judge Robert Hinkle clarified the issue.
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over
Jay Michaelson
January 5, 2015
The weather on the route of AirAsia Flight 8501 was not unusual for the region and the season.
Did Bad Weather Bring Down AirAsia 8501?
Clive Irving
December 29, 2014
It is an unusual kind of patriotism in the name of national security.
Why Did We Panic After 9/11 and Ignore All We Knew About Responding to Security Threats?
Deborah Pearlstein
December 18, 2014
The unusual textures (santouri, ney, lyra, clarinets, voices) impart a mystical quality to this work.
The Best Albums of 2014
Ted Gioia
December 13, 2014

Historical Examples

Now, Mr. Bines, I like him and I dare say you've done the best thing for him, unusual as it was.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
This is certainly a very high and unusual devise to so young a creature.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
This was an unusual event, as he rarely interfered with them during play hours.
Life in London
Edwin Hodder
You have not done a stroke of work all this morning; quite an unusual thing for you, George.
Life in London
Edwin Hodder
Gerald Raymount was a man of an unusual combination of qualities.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald

British Dictionary definitions for unusual

unusual

adjective

out of the ordinary; uncommon; extraordinaryan unusual design

Derived Formsunusually, adverbunusualness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for unusual

adj.

1580s, from un- (1) "not" + usual. Related: Unusually.

unusual

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}unusual

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for unusual

Contemporary Examples

Each individual race involves an unusual collaboration between researchers, manufacturers, and public-health entities.

So, in an unusual order (PDF) issued on New Years Day, District Judge Robert Hinkle clarified the issue.

The weather on the route of AirAsia Flight 8501 was not unusual for the region and the season.

It is an unusual kind of patriotism in the name of national security.

The unusual textures (santouri, ney, lyra, clarinets, voices) impart a mystical quality to this work.

Historical Examples

Now, Mr. Bines, I like him and I dare say you've done the best thing for him, unusual as it was.

This is certainly a very high and unusual devise to so young a creature.

This was an unusual event, as he rarely interfered with them during play hours.

You have not done a stroke of work all this morning; quite an unusual thing for you, George.

Gerald Raymount was a man of an unusual combination of qualities.

unusual

Word Origin and History for unusual

adj.

Origin of unusual