unprecedented
Never having happened or existed before
Examples
In a meeting
“We're seeing unprecedented growth in user engagement this quarter.”
Over coffee
“The heat wave was unprecedented—we've never had temperatures this high.”
Why this word
new
unprecedented means never before occurring in history, while new just means not existing before
unique
unprecedented emphasizes no prior example exists, while unique means one of a kind
unusual
unprecedented means no precedent exists, while unusual just means rare or uncommon
Usage tip
Use to emphasize true firsts, but avoid overusing for merely unusual events
Etymology
Latin: un- (not) + praecedere (go before) from prae- (before) + cedere (go) — 'not having gone before'
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Related words
predate
To exist or occur at an earlier date than something else
broach
To bring up or introduce a topic for discussion
streamline
To make a process or system more efficient by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps.
delegate
To assign a task or responsibility to someone else.
validate
To confirm that something is correct, sound, or meets requirements.
concise
Giving a lot of information clearly in few words.