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, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English singuler , borrowed from Old French , from Latin singulāris ( “ alone of its kind ” ) , from Latin singulus ( “ single ” ) .
Pronunciation
Adjective
singular (comparative more singular , superlative most singular )
Being only one of a larger population .
A singular experiment cannot be regarded as scientific proof of the existence of a phenomenon.
Synonyms: individual ; see also Thesaurus:specific
Antonyms: general ; see also Thesaurus:generic
Being the only one of the kind ; unique .
She has a singular personality.
Synonyms: unique ; see also Thesaurus:unique
1705 , J[oseph] Addison , Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703 , London: Jacob Tonson , , →OCLC :The busts [ …] of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind.
(Can we clean up (+ ) this sense?) 1387–1400 , Geoffrey Chaucer , “(please specify the story) ”, in The Canterbury Tales , [Westminster: William Caxton , published 1478] , →OCLC ; Charles Cowden Clarke , editor, The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer. , 2nd edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I, II, or III) , Edinburgh: James Nichol; London: James Nisbet & Co.; Dublin: W. Robertson, 1860 , →OCLC :
1839 , Charles Darwin , Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty’s Ships Adventure and Beagle , between the Years 1826 and 1836, , volume III, London: Henry Colburn , , →OCLC , pages 461–462 :A group of finches, of which Mr. Gould considers there are thirteen species; and these he has distributed into for new sub-genera. These birds are the most singular of any in the archipelago.
Distinguished by superiority: peerless , unmatched , eminent , exceptional , extraordinary .
a man of singular gravity or attainments
Synonyms: exceptional , extraordinary , remarkable
Out of the ordinary; curious.
It was very singular ; I don't know why he did it.
Synonyms: curious , eccentric , funny , odd , peculiar , rum , rummy , strange , unusual ; see also Thesaurus:strange
1641 (first performance), [John Denham ], The Sophy. , 2nd edition, London: J M for H Herringman , , published 1667 , →OCLC , Act I, scene ii, page 11 :So ſingular a ſadneſs / Muſt have a cauſe as ſtrange as the effect: [ …]
1667 , John Milton , “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons ], , →OCLC ; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873 , →OCLC :His zeal / None seconded, as out of season judged, / Or singular and rash.
( grammar ) Referring to only one thing or person.
Antonym: plural
( linear algebra , of matrix) Having no inverse .
Synonym: non-invertible
Antonyms: invertible , non-singular
( linear algebra , of transformation) Having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero.
( set theory , of a cardinal number) Not equal to its own cofinality .
( law ) Each; individual.
to convey several parcels of land, all and singular
( obsolete ) Engaged in by only one on a side; single.
1577 , Raphaell Holinshed , The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande , volume I, London: for Iohn Harrison, →OCLC :Thus made he an end, and the two princes allowed well of his last motion, and so order was taken, that they should fight togither in a singular combat
Derived terms
Translations
being only one of larger population
being the only one of a kind
Bulgarian: единствен (bg) ( edinstven )
Catalan: singular (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 獨一無二 / 独一无二 (zh) ( dúyīwú'èr )
Coptic: ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁⲩⲑⲁϣϥ m ( phēetauthašf )
Dutch: enig (nl) , enige (nl)
Finnish: ainutlaatuinen (fi) , uniikki (fi)
German: einzigartig (de)
Japanese: 単一 (ja) ( tan'itsu )
Korean: 단일(單一)하다 ( danilhada ) , 유일(唯一)하다 (ko) ( yuilhada ) , 유일무이(唯一無二)하다 ( yuilmu'ihada )
Portuguese: singular (pt) , único (pt)
Romanian: singular (ro) m
Russian: едини́чный (ru) ( jediníčnyj )
Scottish Gaelic: singilte
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: појѐдӣнӣ , јѐдӣнӣ , о̀собит
Roman: pojèdīnī (sh) , jèdīnī (sh) , òsobit (sh)
Slovak: jedinečný
Spanish: singular (es)
Swedish: ensam (sv) , unik (sv)
Turkish: eşsiz (tr) , ünik (tr)
distinguished by superiority
Bulgarian: изключителен (bg) ( izključitelen )
Catalan: singular (ca) , únic (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 非凡 (zh) ( fēifán ) , 獨特 / 独特 (zh) ( dútè )
Dutch: uitzonderlijk (nl) , opmerkelijk (nl) , opmerkelijke (nl)
Finnish: erinomainen (fi) , tavaton (fi)
German: einzigartig (de)
Japanese: 非凡 (ja) ( hibon ) , 希有 (ja) ( keu )
Korean: 뛰어나다 (ko) ( ttwieonada ) , 훌륭하다 (ko) ( hullyunghada ) , 비범(非凡)하다 (ko) ( bibeomhada )
Portuguese: singular (pt) , único (pt)
Romanian: unic (ro) m
Slovak: jedinečný
Spanish: único (es)
Swedish: enastående (sv) , utmärkt (sv)
Turkish: üstün (tr)
being out of the ordinary
Bulgarian: необикновен (bg) ( neobiknoven )
Catalan: singular (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 奇特 (zh) ( qítè ) , 不 尋常 / 不 寻常 ( bùxúncháng )
Dutch: ongewoon (nl)
Finnish: harvinainen (fi) , merkillinen (fi) , omituinen (fi) , kummallinen (fi)
German: ungewöhnlich (de)
Japanese: ( superior ) 非凡 (ja) ( hibon ) , 希有 (ja) ( keu ) , ( odd ) 奇妙 (ja) ( kimyō ) , 風変わり (ja) ( fūgawari )
Korean: 특이(特異)하다 (ko) ( teugihada ) , 희한(稀罕)하다 (ko) ( huihanhada ) , ( odd ) 기묘(奇妙)하다 (ko) ( gimyohada ) ; 기이(奇異)하다 (ko) ( giihada )
Polish: osobliwy (pl)
Portuguese: singular (pt) , único (pt)
Romanian: neobișnuit (ro)
Russian: своеобра́зный (ru) ( svojeobráznyj ) , необыкнове́нный (ru) ( neobyknovénnyj )
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: не̏обичан
Roman: nȅobičan (sh)
Slovak: jedinečný
Spanish: singular (es)
Swedish: besynnerlig (sv) , egendomlig (sv) , säregen (sv)
Turkish: farklı (tr)
Ukrainian: своєрі́дний ( svojerídnyj )
grammar: referring to only one thing
linear algebra: of matrix: having no inverse
Translations to be checked
Noun
singular (plural singulars )
( grammar ) A form of a word that refers to only one person or thing.
Antonym: plural
( logic ) That which is not general; a specific determinate instance.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
See also
Further reading
“singular ”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary , Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam , 1913, →OCLC .
“singular ”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co. , 1911, →OCLC .
“singular ”, in OneLook Dictionary Search .
Anagrams
Catalan
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin singulāris . Doublet of senglar .
Pronunciation
Adjective
singular m or f (masculine and feminine plural singulars )
singular
Antonym: plural
Derived terms
Related terms
Noun
singular m (plural singulars )
( grammar ) singular
Galician
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin singulāris .
Adjective
singular m or f (plural singulares )
( grammar ) singular
Related terms
Further reading
Portuguese
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin singulāris . Doublet of senheiro .
Pronunciation
Adjective
singular m or f (plural singulares )
singular (being the only one of a kind)
Synonym: único
( grammar ) singular (referring to only one thing)
Antonym: plural
Derived terms
Related terms
Noun
singular m (plural singulares )
( grammar ) singular (form of a word that refers to only one thing)
Antonym: plural
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin singularis or French singulier .
Pronunciation
Adjective
singular m or n (feminine singular singulară , masculine plural singulari , feminine and neuter plural singulare )
( grammar ) singular
Declension
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin singulāris .
Noun
sȉngulār m (Cyrillic spelling си̏нгула̄р )
singular
Synonym: jednìna
Declension
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin singulāris . Doublet of señero .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /sinɡuˈlaɾ/
Rhymes: -aɾ
Syllabification: sin‧gu‧lar
Adjective
singular m or f (masculine and feminine plural singulares )
singular
Antonym: plural
odd , peculiar
Synonyms: raro , peculiar
Derived terms
Related terms
Noun
singular m (plural singulares )
singular
Antonym: plural
Further reading