singular

See also: Singular, singulár, and singulär

English

Alternative forms

• sing., sg., sg (abbreviation)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjʊ.lə/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

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.

   Synonym: individual

   Antonym: general

2. Being the only one of the kind; 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 1051505315:

     The busts […] of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind.

   • 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.

   • 1620, Francis Bacon, Novum Organum

     singular instances

   Synonym: unique

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.

   • 1642, [John Denham], The Sophy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1667, OCLC 16384548, 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. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554:

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

   Synonyms: curious, eccentric, funny, odd, peculiar, rum, rummy, strange, unusual

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, “[(please specify the book title).]”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, OCLC 55195564:

      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

Synonyms

• (being only one): see also Thesaurus:specific
• (being the only one of a kind): see also Thesaurus:unique
• (being out of the ordinary): see also Thesaurus:strange

Antonyms

• (being only one): see also Thesaurus:generic

Derived terms

• nonsingular
• singularise
• singularity
• singularize

 

Translations

being only one of larger population

• Catalan: singular (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 單一 (zh) (dānyī)

• Finnish: yksittäinen (fi)
• German: einzeln (de)
• Japanese: 唯一 (ja) (yuiitsu), 無二 (ja) (muni)
• Korean: 단일한 (ko) (danilhan) (單一), 유일한 (ko) (yuilhan) (唯一)
• Latin: singulāris
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: enkelt (no)

  Nynorsk: einskild, einstaka, enkelt

• Portuguese: único (pt), simples (pt)
• Romanian: unic (ro) m, singular (ro)
• Russian: еди́нственный (ru) (jedínstvennyj)
• Slovak: jediný
• Spanish: singular (es)
• Swedish: ensam (sv), enstaka (sv)
• Turkish: tek (tr), tek bir, yegane (tr)

being the only one of a kind

• Catalan: singular (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 獨一無二 (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: 단일한 (ko) (danilhan) (單一), 유일한 (ko) (yuilhan) (唯一), 유일무이한 (ko) (yuilmu'ihan) (唯一無二)
• Portuguese: singular (pt), único (pt)

• Romanian: singular (ro) m
• Russian: едини́чный (ru) (jediníčnyj)
• 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)

distinguished by superiority

• Catalan: singular (ca), únic (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 非凡 (zh) (fēifán), 獨特 (zh) (dútè)

• Dutch: uitzonderlijk (nl), opmerkelijk (nl), opmerkelijke (nl)
• Finnish: erinomainen (fi), tavaton (fi)
• German: einzigartig (de)

• Japanese: 非凡 (ja) (hibon), 希有 (keu)
• Korean: 뛰어난 (ko) (ttwieonan), 훌륭한 (ko) (hullyunghan), 비범한 (ko) (bibeomhan) (非凡)
• 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

• Catalan: singular (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 奇特 (zh) (qítè), 不 (zh)尋常 (zh) (bùxúncháng)

• Dutch: ongewoon (nl)
• Finnish: harvinainen (fi), merkillinen (fi), omituinen (fi), kummallinen (fi)
• German: ungewöhnlich (de)
• Japanese: (superior) 非凡 (ja) (hibon), 希有 (keu), (odd) 奇妙 (ja) (kimyō), 風変わり (ja) (fūgawari)
• Korean: 특이한 (ko) (teugihan) (特異), 희한한 (ko) (huihanhan) (稀罕), (odd) 기묘한 (ko) (gimyohan) (奇妙); 기이한 (ko) (giihan) (奇異)
• 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

• Albanian: njëjës (sq)
• Arabic: مُفْرَد‎ m (mufrad)
• Armenian: եզակի (hy) (ezaki)
• Catalan: singular (ca)
• Chamorro: senggolåt
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 單數 (zh) (dānshù)

• Coptic: ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁⲩⲑⲁϣϥ m (phēetauthašf)
• Dutch: enkelvoudig (nl), enkelvoudige (nl)
• Esperanto: ununombra (eo)
• Finnish: yksiköllinen (fi)
• French: singulier (fr)
• Georgian: მხოლოობითი (ka) (mxoloobiti)
• German: singularisch
• Greek:

  Ancient: ἑνικός (henikós)

• Hungarian: egyes szám (hu)
• Icelandic: eintala (is) f, et. (is) f
• Irish: uatha (ga)
• Italian: singolare (it)
• Japanese: 単数の (tansū no)
• Korean: 단수의 (ko) (dansuui) (單數)

• Latin: singulāris
• Ligurian: scingolâre
• Macedonian: еднина f (ednina), едн. f (edn.)
• Middle Persian: 'ywk'
• Navajo: tʼááłáʼígo, łah jidiltʼéhígo
• Norman: sîndgulyi
• Old English: ānfeald
• Polish: pojedynczy (pl)
• Portuguese: singular (pt), único (pt)
• Romanian: singular (ro)
• Russian: еди́нственный (ru) (jedínstvennyj)
• Slovak: jednotný, singulárový
• Spanish: singular (es)
• Swedish: singular (sv), ^{(please verify)} entals-
• Tagalog: isahan (tl)
• Telugu: ఏకవచనము (te) (ēkavacanamu)
• Thai: เอกพจน์ (th) (èek-gà-pót)
• Turkish: tekil (tr)
• Vietnamese: số ít (vi)
• Volapük: balnumik (vo)

linear algebra: of matrix: having no inverse

• Danish: singulær
• Dutch: singulier (nl)
• Estonian: mittepööratav
• Finnish: singulaarinen
• French: singulier (fr)
• German: singulär (de)

• Japanese: 単称 (tanshō)
• Polish: nieodwracalna f, osobliwa f
• Romanian: singular (ro)
• Slovak: singulárny (sk)
• Swedish: singulär (sv)
• Tajik: ягона (tg) (yagona)
• Thai: เอกฐาน

linear algebra: of transformation

• Finnish: singulaarinen

• Thai: เอกฐาน

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

• Indonesian: ^{(please verify)} tunggal (id)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: ^{(please verify)} појѐдӣнӣ m, ^{(please verify)} јѐдӣнӣ m

  Roman: ^{(please verify)} pojèdīnī (sh) m, ^{(please verify)} jèdīnī (sh) m

Noun

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 terms

• singulare tantum

Related terms

• plural

Translations

grammar: form of a word that refers to only one thing

• Albanian: njëjës (sq), numri njëjës m
• Arabic: مُفْرَد‎ m (mufrad), صِيغَة اَلْمُفْرَد‎ f (ṣīḡat al-mufrad)
• Armenian: եզակի թիվ (hy) (ezaki tʿiv), եզակի (hy) (ezaki)
• Belarusian: адзіно́чны лік m (adzinóčny lik)
• Bulgarian: еди́нствено число́ n (edínstveno čisló)
• Burmese: ဧကဝုစ်ကိန်း (my) (eka.wuckin:)
• Catalan: singular (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 單數 (zh), 单数 (zh) (dānshù)

• Czech: jednotné číslo (cs) n
• Danish: ental (da), singularis (da)
• Dutch: enkelvoud (nl) n
• Estonian: ainsus (et)
• Faroese: eintal (fo) n
• Finnish: yksikkö (fi)
• French: singulier (fr) m
• Georgian: მხოლოობითი რიცხვი (mxoloobiti ricxvi)
• German: Einzahl (de) f, Singular (de) m, Singularis m (dated)
• Greenlandic: ataasersiut
• Hindi: एकवचन (hi) m (ekavcan)
• Hungarian: egyes (hu)
• Icelandic: eintala (is) f
• Indonesian: ^{(please verify)} bentuk tunggal
• Ingrian: üksikko
• Italian: singolare (it) m
• Japanese: 単数形 (ja) (tansū-kei), 単数 (ja) (たんすう, tansū)
• Khmer: ឯកវចនៈ (ʼaek vaccaʼnaʼ)
• Korean: 단수형 (dansuhyeong) (單數形), 단수 (ko) (dansu) (單數 (ko))

• Lao: ເອກກະພົດ (ʼēk ka phot)
• Latin: numerus singulāris, singulāris
• Latvian: vienskaitlis m
• Macedonian: е́днина f (édnina)
• Mongolian: ганц тоо (mn) (gants too)
• Old French: singuler m
• Persian: مفرد‎ (fa) (mofrad)
• Polish: liczba pojedyncza (pl) f
• Portuguese: singular (pt)
• Quechua: sapa
• Russian: еди́нственное число́ (ru) n (jedínstvennoje čisló)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: једнѝна f, си̏нгула̄р m

  Roman: jednìna (sh) f, sȉngulār (sh) m

• Slovak: jednotné číslo n, singulár (sk) m
• Slovene: ednina (sl) f
• Spanish: singular (es) m
• Swedish: ental (sv) n, singularis (sv) n, singular (sv) n
• Tajik: мунфарид (tg) (munfarid), ягона (tg) (yagona)
• Telugu: ఏకవచనము (te) (ēkavacanamu)
• Thai: เอกพจน์ (th) (èek-gà-pót)
• Turkish: tekil (tr)
• Ukrainian: однина́ (uk) f (odnyná)
• Vietnamese: số ít (vi)
• Volapük: balnum (vo)
• Votic: ühsikko
• West Frisian: iental (fy)
• Yiddish: איינצאָל‎ f (eyntsol)

See also

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

• simple
• simplex
• single
• singulus

 

Further reading

• singular in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• singular in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• singular at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• rail guns, railguns

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Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris. Doublet of senglar.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /siŋ.ɡuˈla/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /siŋ.ɡuˈlaɾ/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

singular (masculine and feminine plural singulars)

1. singular

   Antonym: plural

Derived terms

• singularment

Related terms

• singularitat
• singularitzar

 

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Galician

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris.

Adjective

singular m or f (plural singulares)

1. (grammar) singular

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Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris. Doublet of senheiro.

Adjective

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 terms

• singularmente

Related terms

• singularidade

Noun

singular m (plural singulares)

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

   Antonym: plural

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Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris.

Noun

sȉngulār m (Cyrillic spelling си̏нгула̄р)

1. singular

   Synonym: jednìna

Declension

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

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Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris. Doublet of señero.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sinɡuˈlaɾ/, [sĩŋ.ɡuˈlaɾ]

Adjective

singular (plural singulares)

1. singular

   Antonym: plural

2. odd, peculiar

Derived terms

• singularmente

Related terms

• singularidad

Noun

singular m (plural singulares)

1. singular

   Antonym: plural

Further reading

• “singular” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.