What does unusual mean?
Unusual means different from what is ordinary, expected, or commonly encountered. The word can identify something rare, such as an unusual bird or an unusual pattern in a document. It can also suggest that a person, object, event, or situation deserves attention because it differs noticeably from comparable things. In formal writing, unusual is often more restrained than strange and may carry a positive suggestion of distinction or interest, while in other contexts it can imply that something is out of place. The adjective is common in both British and American English and is useful when a speaker wants to describe a departure from the ordinary without making a strong judgment about whether that departure is good or bad. Its wording is direct and accessible, making it suitable for descriptions of people, places, objects, events, and patterns. Although unusual can sometimes overlap with rare, the two words are not identical: rarity concerns how frequently something occurs, whereas unusual more directly describes how it differs from what is customary.
adjectiveNot usual, ordinary, or expected; uncommon or distinctive.
- Not usual, ordinary, or commonly encountered.
- Noteworthy or striking because it differs from what is expected.
"The library has an unusual collection of books written entirely in verse."
"She noticed an unusual sound coming from the old shed."
"The submission was unusual in both style and substance."
Unusual is a gentle contradiction: it means not ordinary, yet it often highlights something memorable enough to notice.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unusual come from?
English unusual comes through Latin unusuālis, an adjective meaning “unusual” or “exceptional,” and entered English in the early modern period. Its Latin formation belongs to a family of words associated with ūnus, meaning “one,” including terms such as unity, unite, unanimous, and uniform. The modern English adjective developed into its familiar contrast with usual, meaning common, ordinary, or expected.
Related word forms
How unusual is actually used
The term is neutral to formal in register. Depending on context, it may suggest rarity, distinction, or a departure from what is expected; for something clearly abnormal, abnormal is often more precise.