Wiktionary

singular

See also: Singular, singulár, and singulär

EnglishEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

singular (comparative more singular, superlative most singular)

  1. 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
  2. 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 1051505315:
      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 230972125; Charles Cowden Clarke, editor, The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer. […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), 2nd edition, Edinburgh: James Nichol; London: James Nisbet & Co.; Dublin: W. Robertson, 1860, OCLC 752865638:
      And God forbid that all a company / Should rue a singular manne's folly.
      (please add an English translation of this quote)
    • 1620, Francis Bacon, Novum Organum
      singular instances
  3. Distinguished by superiority: peerless, unmatched, eminent, exceptional, extraordinary.
    a man of singular gravity or attainments
    Synonyms: exceptional, extraordinary, remarkable
  4. 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
  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.

Derived termsEdit

TranslationsEdit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

NounEdit

singular (plural singulars)

  1. (grammar) A form of a word that refers to only one person or thing.
    Antonym: plural
  2. (logic) That which is not general; a specific determinate instance.

Derived termsEdit

Related termsEdit

TranslationsEdit

See alsoEdit

Further readingEdit

AnagramsEdit

CatalanEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Latin singulāris. Doublet of senglar.

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

singular (masculine and feminine plural singulars)

  1. singular
    Antonym: plural

Derived termsEdit

Related termsEdit

GalicianEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Latin singulāris.

AdjectiveEdit

singular m or f (plural singulares)

  1. (grammar) singular

PortugueseEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Latin singulāris. Doublet of senheiro.

PronunciationEdit

 

  • Hyphenation: sin‧gu‧lar

AdjectiveEdit

singular m or f (plural singulares, comparable)

  1. singular (being the only one of a kind)
    Synonym: único
  2. (grammar) singular (referring to only one thing)
    Antonym: plural

Derived termsEdit

Related termsEdit

NounEdit

singular m (plural singulares)

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

RomanianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin singularis or French singulier.

AdjectiveEdit

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

  1. (grammar) singular

DeclensionEdit

Declension of singular
singular plural
masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
nominative/
accusative 		indefinite singular singulară singulari singulare
definite singularul singulara singularii singularele
genitive/
dative 		indefinite singular singulare singulari singulare
definite singularului singularei singularilor singularelor

Serbo-CroatianEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Latin singulāris.

NounEdit

sȉngulār m (Cyrillic spelling си̏нгула̄р)

  1. singular
    Synonym: jednìna

DeclensionEdit

Declension of singular
singular plural
nominative singular singulari
genitive singulara singulara
dative singularu singularima
accusative singular singulare
vocative singulare singulari
locative singularu singularima
instrumental singularom singularma

SpanishEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Latin singulāris. Doublet of señero.

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /sinɡuˈlaɾ/, [sĩŋ.ɡuˈlaɾ]
  • Audio (Colombia)(file)

AdjectiveEdit

singular (plural singulares)

  1. singular
    Antonym: plural
  2. odd, peculiar

Derived termsEdit

Related termsEdit

NounEdit

singular m (plural singulares)

  1. singular
    Antonym: plural

Further readingEdit

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