Meanings
comparative more unbeknown · superlative most unbeknown · alternative unbeknownst
- Not beknown.
1 more example
Following the debate in question, Tim Loughton sent an unmarked copy of Hansard to his constituent to inform him that he would no longer be acting as his MP as the constituent had made this position untenable. [...] However, and unbeknown to Loughton, the constituent reported the debate to the police as a 'hate crime' and complained that sending a copy of Hansard was 'harassment'.
2015, Roger Williams, “Harassment in Sussex”, in Rough Justice: Citizens’ Experience of Mistreatment and Injustice in the Early Stages of Law Enforcement, Hook, Hampshire: Waterside Press, →ISBN, part 1 (Contributions, Media and Experiences), page 106
Synonyms & antonyms
adjective(usually used with ‘to’) occurring or existing without the knowledge of
adverbwithout someone's knowledge
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
- Proto-Germanic*un-
- Proto-West Germanic*un-
- Old Englishun-
- Middle Englishun-
- Englishun-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁ep-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁éps
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁épi
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁pi
- Proto-Germanic*bi
- Proto-Germanic*bi-
- Proto-West Germanic*bi-
- Old Englishbe-
- Middle Englishbi-
- Englishbe-
- Englishknown
- Englishbeknown
- Englishunbeknown
Cite this entry
unbeknown. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unbeknown
“unbeknown.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unbeknown. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unbeknown,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unbeknown.
Source: unbeknown on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.