English

Adverb

unbeknownst ‎(not comparable)

1. (followed by to) without the knowledge of

   He went home early, unbeknownst to his mother.

Usage notes

Some writers advise against using this word, describing it as "unnecessary". It is true that it can usually be replaced by unknown (to), though the sentence may need rearranging to sound natural.

1. Unknown to his mother, he went home early.

Translations