unbeknownst

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The Word of the Day for June 30 is:

unbeknownst   \un-bih-NOHNST\   adjective
     : happening or existing without the knowledge of someone specified

Example sentence: 
     Unbeknownst to Clarice, we had been planning a surprise baby shower for 
her for weeks.

Did you know? 
     "Unbeknownst" derives from "beknown," an obsolete synonym of "known." But 
for a word with a straightforward history, "unbeknownst" and its older and less 
common variant "unbeknown" have created quite a flap among usage commentators. 
Despite widespread use (including appearances in the writings of Charles 
Dickens, A.E. Housman, and E.B. White), the two words have been called 
everything from "obsolete" to "vulgar." Our evidence, however, shows that both 
can be considered standard.





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