1.
unprecedented; unheard-of; never before experienced
Something that has never occurred or existed before. Used to describe events, disasters, achievements, or situations of extraordinary scale or novelty.
A literary, formal word used to describe something that has never happened before — typically events of extreme magnitude. Originally from Buddhist scripture, where it described something so rare and wondrous it had never been seen.
Common collocations
- 未曾有の危機: unprecedented crisis
- 未曾有の災害: unprecedented disaster
- 未曾有の事態: unprecedented situation
- 未曾有の規模: unprecedented scale
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Primarily used in formal speech, news reporting, and written contexts. It carries weight and gravity — not used for trivial or everyday things.
Etymology
From Buddhist Sanskrit. 未 (not yet) + 曾て (ever) + 有 (existed) — literally "has never yet existed." The character 曾 is sometimes written as 曽; both forms are accepted.