un ‧ pre ‧ ce ‧ dent ‧ ed AC /ʌnˈpresədentəd, ʌnˈpresɪdentəd/ BrE AmE adjective
never having happened before, or never having happened so much:
He took the unprecedented step of stating that the rumours were false.
Crime has increased on an unprecedented scale.
unprecedented in
an event that is unprecedented in recent history
—unprecedentedly adverb
• • •
THESAURUS
■ events/situations
▪ unusual different from what usually happens:
We had snow in May, which is very unusual.
▪ rare not happening very often, or existing only in small numbers:
Violent crimes are rare.
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Hatton gathered many rare plants from all over the world.
▪ exceptional /ɪkˈsepʃ ə nəl/ very unusual and happening very rarely:
90-day visas can be extended only in exceptional circumstances.
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The presence of a jury in a civil trial is now quite exceptional.
▪ out of the ordinary unusual and surprising or special:
It was a small village where nothing out of the ordinary ever seemed to happen.
▪ freak extremely unusual and unexpected - used about an accident, storm etc:
A freak wave wrecked most of the seafront.
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Their car was crushed by a tree in a freak accident.
▪ unprecedented /ʌnˈpresədentəd, ʌnˈpresɪdentəd/ if something is unprecedented, it has never happened before - often used about successes and achievements:
An unprecedented number of students have received top grades.
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This kind of deal is unprecedented.
▪ unheard of if something is unheard of, it has never happened or been done before - used especially when something seems very surprising to people at that time:
In our small town, this kind of crime was almost unheard of.
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unheard-of luxuries such as electric windows and air-conditioning