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.
The Palisades fire was one of several wildfires that sparked across the region in early January as strong and erratic winds fueled unprecedented blazes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
At the time, Leo believed he was helping to pioneer what he calls "an unprecedented piece of immigration legislation".
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
Goldfish are among the most widely distributed ornamental fish in the world, and the global pet trade continues to move aquatic species across continents at unprecedented levels.
From Science Daily • Jun. 26, 2026
A critical bottleneck in memory chips has handed Micron and other names unprecedented pricing power.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 26, 2026
This is engineering on a scale so far unprecedented on Earth.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
