uhørt

Uhørt is a Norwegian adjective meaning unheard-of, extraordinary, or outrageous. The word is formed with the prefix u- attached to hørt, the past participle of høre (to hear), literally “not heard.” The sense is that something is beyond what is normal, accepted, or imaginable.

Usage and nuance: Uhørt describes things that stand out for their novelty or deviation from norms. It can modify nouns: et uhørt krav (an unheard-of demand), uhørt oppførsel (unheard-of behavior). It can also be used predicatively: Dette er uhørt (This is unheard-of). The term carries a strong evaluative or morally charged nuance and is common in journalism, public discourse, and literary prose. It can also convey emphasis on the magnitude or gravity of a situation: et uhørt beløp (an astronomical sum).

Grammar: In Bokmål and Nynorsk it behaves like a standard adjective and agrees with the noun in usage, though the exact inflection follows ordinary Norwegian rules for adjectives. It is typically used in formal or semi-formal contexts but is also found in everyday speech.

Etymology and cognates: The word derives from the negating prefix u- attached to hørt, hence “not heard.” It has cognates in Danish (uhørt) and is used similarly in Norwegian.

See also: Unheard-of (in English-language references) for a cross-linguistic sense of similar terms.