singular
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: enpr: sĭng'-gyə-lər
ipa: /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/
enpr: sĭng'-gyo͝o-lə
ipa: /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjʊ.lə/
Forms: form: more singular
form: most singular
form: sing.
form: sg.
form: sg
Etymology: From Middle English singuler, from Old French, from Latin singulāris (“alone of its kind”), from Latin singulus (“single”).
Senses: examples: text: A singular experiment cannot be regarded as scientific proof of the existence of a phenomenon.
text: And God forbid that all a company / Should rue a singular manne's folly.
ref: 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; Charles Cowden Clarke, editor, The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer. […], 2nd edition, volume III, Edinburgh: James Nichol; London: James Nisbet & Co.; Dublin: W. Robertson, 1860, →OCLC, page 158:
english: And may God forbid that a whole group should suffer for a single man's folly.
translation: And may God forbid that a whole group should suffer for a single man's folly.
bold_translation_offsets: 58
64
synonyms: word: individual
word: concrete
word: discrete
word: individual
word: particular
word: peculiar
word: proper
word: singular
word: specific
antonyms: word: general
word: specific
glosses: Being only one of a larger population; single, individual.
examples: text: She has a singular personality.
text: The busts[…] of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind.
ref: 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
text: singular instances
ref: 1620, Francis Bacon, Novum Organum:
text: 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.
ref: 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:
synonyms: word: unique
word: alone
word: azygous
word: incomparable
word: matchless
word: nonpareil
word: peerless
word: singular
word: sui generis
word: unequaled
word: unique
word: unparalleled
word: unmatched
word: unrivalled
glosses: Being the only one of the kind; unique.
examples: text: a man of singular gravity or attainments
synonyms: exceptional
extraordinary
remarkable
glosses: Distinguished by superiority: peerless, unmatched, eminent, exceptional, extraordinary.
examples: text: It was very singular; I don't know why he did it.
text: So ſingular a ſadneſs / Muſt have a cauſe as ſtrange as the effect: […]
ref: 1641 (first performance), [John Denham], The Sophy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 11:
text: His zeal / None seconded, as out of season judged, / Or singular and rash.
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
synonyms: word: curious
word: eccentric
word: funny
word: odd
word: peculiar
word: rum
word: rummy
word: strange
word: unusual
word: aberrant
word: abnormal
word: alien
word: anomalous
word: as queer as Dick's hatband
word: bizarre
word: curious
word: deviant
word: discrepant
word: eerie
word: eldritch
word: errant
word: exceptional
word: extraordinary
word: fey
word: forby
word: freak
word: freakish
word: freaky
word: fremd
word: funny
word: heteroclite
word: hinky
word: incongruous
word: incongruitous
word: irregular
word: kooky
word: monstrous
word: nonstandard
word: odd
word: outlandish
word: out of the ordinary
word: outré
word: peculiar
word: quaint
word: queer
word: queer as a clockwork orange
word: queer as a nine bob note
word: queer as a three dollar bill
word: queer as a coot
word: queer as Dick's hatband
word: rare
word: rum
word: rummy
word: selcouth
word: seld
word: singular
word: strange
word: trippy
word: uncanny
word: uncommon
word: unconventional
word: unearthly
word: unexpected
word: unreasonable
word: unusual
word: unwonted
word: weird
word: weirdsome
word: yampy
glosses: Out of the ordinary; curious.
topics: grammar
human-sciences
linguistics
sciences
antonyms: plural
glosses: Referring to only one thing or person.
topics: linear-algebra
mathematics
sciences
synonyms: non-invertible
antonyms: invertible
non-singular
glosses: Having no inverse.
raw_tags: of matrix
topics: linear-algebra
mathematics
sciences
glosses: Having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero.
raw_tags: of transformation
topics: mathematics
sciences
set-theory
glosses: Not equal to its own cofinality.
raw_tags: of a cardinal number
examples: text: to convey several parcels of land, all and singular
text: Cel[adon]. […] Hovv do Meliſſa’s tvvo fair Daughters? / Aſt[eria]. VVhen you tell me vvhich of ’em you are in love vvith, I’le anſvver you. / Cel. VVhich of ’em, naughty ſiſter, vvhat a question’s there? VVith both of ’em, vvith each and singular of ’em.
ref: 1667 March 12 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), John Dryden, Secret-Love, or The Maiden-Queen: […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], published 1668, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 1:
topics: law
glosses: Each; individual.
examples: text: 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
ref: 1577, Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, →OCLC:
glosses: Engaged in by only one on a side; single.
Derived terms: first-person singular
nonsingular
second-person singular
singular existential statement
singularise
singularity
singularize
singular matrix
singular statement
singular value decomposition
third-person singular