Unusual
/ʌnˈjuː.ʒu.əl/noun
Not commonly encountered, expected, or typical.
Did you know?The word ultimately descends from Latin usus, meaning “use,” “practice,” or “custom,” revealing that “usual” originally meant what people repeatedly practiced.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃ew-
“To benefit from, enjoy, or make use of”
Classical Latin
Latin
ūtī
“To use, employ, practice, or enjoy”
Classical Latin
Latin
ūsus
“Use, practice, experience, or customary behavior”
Late Latin
Latin
ūsūālis
“Usual, customary, or belonging to ordinary practice”
Middle English
Anglo-French / English
unusual
“Not usual or not customary”
Modern English
English
unusual
“Not common, expected, or typical”