unüblichen

Unüblich is a German adjective meaning not typical or not customary. It is used to describe actions, objects, or situations that deviate from what is normally expected or standard.

The form unüblich declines like other adjectives in German and its endings depend on case, gender, number, and the presence of a determiner. Examples include: ein unübliches Verhalten (neuter singular, indefinite article); das unübliche Verhalten (neuter singular, definite article); in unüblichen Situationen (dative plural, no article); die unüblichen Fälle (nominative plural, definite article). These examples show how the ending unüblic h- changes to match the grammatical context, with unüblichen appearing in several common contexts such as dative plural or plural after a definite article.

Etymology-wise, unüblich is formed from the prefix un- plus üblich, the latter meaning typical or customary. The word is closely related to other German terms for deviation from the norm, such as ungewöhnlich (unusual in the sense of rarity) and außerordentlich or außergewöhnlich (extraordinary or exceptional). While all convey non-normality, unüblich tends to focus on deviation from customary practice rather than on rarity or extraordinariness.

In usage, unüblich is appropriate in formal and semi-formal discourse when describing deviations from standard procedures, norms, or expectations. It is common in journalism, analysis, and academic writing, as well as in everyday speech. When choosing between unüblich and synonyms, consider whether you want to stress deviation from norm (unüblich), rarity (ungewöhnlich), or exceptional quality (außergewöhnlich).

See also: üblic h, unüblich vs ungewöhnlich, außerordentlich.

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