unusual

adj, noun — 2 senses

unusual

adj

/ʌnˈjuːʒ(u)əl/

Etymology From un- + usual.

1

Not usual, out of the ordinary.

  • Every once in a while, though, Idol comes across an unusual talent who just blows everyone away.
  • It’s definitely not unusual for a couple to meet through friends or be set up on a date.
2 more examples
  • His behavior was unusual in that it was considered childish for a man of his age.
  • I’ve had no problem with female docs. I’ve had some – how should I say it – unusual experiences with a couple of male ones. And I have heard from girlfriends about their unusual experiences as well.
Derived terms
unusually, unusualness

unusual

noun

Etymology From un- + usual.

1

Something that is unusual; an anomaly.

  • I should say that it was very unusual for such men to leave a bottle half empty. How do all these unusuals strike you, Watson?1905, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Return of Sherlock Holmes:
  • Two of these unusuals have been selected for special effort throughout the season. They are kneeling pads and water-proof garden gloves. During the bulb planting season they are displayed with the bulbs […]1939, Pauline Redmond, Wilfrid Redmond, Business paper writing, a career, page 154:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.