singular

Alternative forms

• sing., sg., sg (abbreviation)

Etymology

From Middle English singuler, from Old French, from Latin singulāris (“alone of its kind”), from Latin singulus (“single”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: sĭng'-gyə-lər, IPA^(key): /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: sĭng'-gyo͝o-lə, IPA^(key): /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjʊ.lə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

singular (comparative more singular, superlative most singular)

1. Being only one of a larger population; single, individual.

   Synonyms: individual; see also Thesaurus:specific

   Antonyms: general; see also Thesaurus:generic

   A singular experiment cannot be regarded as scientific proof of the existence of a phenomenon.

   • 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:

     And God forbid that all a company / Should rue a singular manne's folly.

     And may God forbid that a whole group should suffer for a single man's folly.

2. Being the only one of the kind; unique.

   Synonyms: unique; see also Thesaurus:unique

   She has a singular personality.

   • 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.

   • 1620, Francis Bacon, Novum Organum:

     singular instances

   • 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.

3. Distinguished by superiority: peerless, unmatched, eminent, exceptional, extraordinary.

   Synonyms: exceptional, extraordinary, remarkable

   a man of singular gravity or attainments

4. Out of the ordinary; curious.

   Synonyms: curious, eccentric, funny, odd, peculiar, rum, rummy, strange, unusual; see also Thesaurus:strange

   It was very singular; I don't know why he did it.

   • 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:

     So ſingular a ſadneſs / Muſt have a cauſe as ſtrange as the effect: […]

   • 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:

     His zeal / None seconded, as out of season judged, / Or singular and rash.

5. (grammar) Referring to only one thing or person.

   Antonym: plural

6. (linear algebra, of matrix) Having no inverse.

   Synonym: non-invertible

   Antonyms: invertible, non-singular

7. (linear algebra, of transformation) Having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero.
8. (set theory, of a cardinal number) Not equal to its own cofinality.
9. (law) Each; individual.

   to convey several parcels of land, all and singular

10. (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: […] [Henry Bynneman] 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

Noun

singular (plural singulars)

2. (grammar) A form of a word that refers to only one person or thing.

   Antonym: plural

3. (logic) That which is not general; a specific determinate instance.

See also

• (grammatical numbers) grammatical number; singular, dual, trial, quadral, quintal, paucal, plural ^{(Category: en:Grammar)}

• simple
• simplex
• single
• singulus

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

• rail guns, railguns

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris. Doublet of senglar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [siŋ.ɡuˈlar]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [siŋ.ɡuˈla]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [siŋ.ɡuˈlaɾ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

singular m or f (masculine and feminine plural singulars)

1. singular

   Antonym: plural

Noun

singular m (plural singulars)

1. (grammar) singular

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin singulāris.

Adjective

singular m or f (plural singulares)

1. (grammar) singular

Further reading

• “singular”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin singulāris. Doublet of senheiro.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: sin‧gu‧lar

Adjective

singular m or f (plural singulares)

1. singular (being the only one of a kind)

   Synonym: único

2. (grammar) singular (referring to only one thing)

   Antonym: plural

Noun

singular m (plural singulares)

1. (grammar) singular (form of a word that refers to only one thing)

   Antonym: plural

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singularis or French singulier.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sin.ɡuˈlar/

Adjective

singular m or n (feminine singular singulară, masculine plural singulari, feminine and neuter plural singulare)

1. (grammar) singular

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris.

Noun

sȉngulār m (Cyrillic spelling си̏нгула̄р)

1. singular

   Synonym: jednìna

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris. Doublet of señero.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sinɡuˈlaɾ/ [sĩŋ.ɡuˈlaɾ]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: sin‧gu‧lar

Adjective

singular m or f (masculine and feminine plural singulares)

1. singular

   Antonym: plural

2. odd, peculiar

   Synonyms: raro, peculiar

Noun

singular m (plural singulares)

1. singular

   Antonym: plural

Further reading

• “singular”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10