unilingual

English

Etymology

From uni- +‎ lingual.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪŋɡwəl

Adjective

unilingual (not comparable)

1. knowing or using a single language

   Synonym: monolingual

   Antonyms: multilingual, plurilingual

   • 2012, Nadine Gordimer, No Time Like the Present, Bloomsbury, published 2013, page 46:

     If you're black you've had to improvise communication with unilingual whites, she'd probably easily acquire this ancient one, too.

Derived terms

• unilingually

Translations

only knowing or spoken in one language — see monolingual

Noun

unilingual (plural unilinguals)

1. a person who understands only one language