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)

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
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
- 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 228675426, 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.
Distinguished by superiority: peerless, unmatched, eminent, exceptional, extraordinary.
a man of singular gravity or attainments
Synonyms: exceptional, extraordinary, remarkable
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
- 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. […], 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.
(grammar) Referring to only one thing or person.
Antonym: plural
(linear algebra, of matrix) Having no inverse.
Synonym: non-invertible
Antonyms: invertible, non-singular
(linear algebra, of transformation) Having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero.
(set theory, of a cardinal number) Not equal to its own cofinality.
(law) Each; individual.
to convey several parcels of land, all and singular
(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 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

Derived terms

nonsingular
singularise
singularity
singularize

Translations

being only one of larger population

Bulgarian: единствен (bg) (edinstven)
Catalan: singular (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 單一／单一 (zh) (dānyī)
Finnish: yksittäinen (fi)
German: einzeln (de)
Japanese: 唯一 (ja) (yuiitsu), 無二 (ja) (muni)
Korean: 단일(單一)하다 (danilhada), 유일(唯一)하다 (ko) (yuilhada)
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)
Scottish Gaelic: singilte
Slovak: jediný
Spanish: singular (es)
Swedish: ensam (sv), enstaka (sv)
Turkish: tek (tr), spesifik (tr), belirli (tr)

being the only one of a kind

Bulgarian: единствен (bg) (edinstven)
Catalan: singular (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 獨一無二／独一无二 (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: 단일(單一)하다 (danilhada), 유일(唯一)하다 (ko) (yuilhada), 유일무이(唯一無二)하다 (yuilmu'ihada)
Portuguese: singular (pt), único (pt)
Romanian: singular (ro) m
Russian: едини́чный (ru) (jediníčnyj)
Scottish Gaelic: singilte
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), ünik (tr)

distinguished by superiority

Bulgarian: изключителен (bg) (izključitelen)
Catalan: singular (ca), únic (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 非凡 (zh) (fēifán), 獨特／独特 (zh) (dútè)
Dutch: uitzonderlijk (nl), opmerkelijk (nl), opmerkelijke (nl)
Finnish: erinomainen (fi), tavaton (fi)
German: einzigartig (de)
Japanese: 非凡 (ja) (hibon), 希有 (ja) (keu)
Korean: 뛰어나다 (ko) (ttwieonada), 훌륭하다 (ko) (hullyunghada), 비범(非凡)하다 (ko) (bibeomhada)
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

Bulgarian: необикновен (bg) (neobiknoven)
Catalan: singular (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 奇特 (zh) (qítè), 不 (zh)尋常／寻常 (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 (ja) (keu), (odd) 奇妙 (ja) (kimyō), 風変わり (ja) (fūgawari)
Korean: 특이(特異)하다 (ko) (teugihada), 희한(稀罕)하다 (ko) (huihanhada), (odd) 기묘(奇妙)하다 (ko) (gimyohada); 기이(奇異)하다 (ko) (giihada)
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 (ar) m (mufrad)
Armenian: եզակի (hy) (ezaki)
Catalan: singular (ca)
Chamorro: senggolåt
Chinese:
Mandarin: 單數／单数 (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: 단수(單數)의 (dansu-ui)
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. 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)

(grammar) A form of a word that refers to only one person or thing.
Antonym: plural
(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 (ar) m (mufrad), صِيغَة اَلْمُفْرَد‎ f (ṣīḡat al-mufrad)
Armenian: եզակի թիվ (hy) (ezaki tʿiv), եզակի (hy) (ezaki)
Belarusian: адзіно́чны лік m (adzinóčny lik)
Breton: unander (br) m
Bulgarian: еди́нствено число́ n (edínstveno čisló)
Burmese: ဧကဝုစ်ကိန်း (my) (eka.wuckin:)
Catalan: singular (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 單數／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: yksikkö
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(單數形) (dansuhyeong), 단수(單數) (ko) (dansu)
Lao: ເອກກະພົດ (ʼēk ka phot)
Latin: numerus singulāris, singulāris
Latvian: vienskaitlis m
Macedonian: е́днина f (édnina)
Mongolian: ганц тоо (mn) (ganc 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), müfret (tr)
Ukrainian: однина́ (uk) f (odnyná)
Vietnamese: số ít (vi)
Volapük: balnum (vo)
Votic: ühsikko
West Frisian: iental (fy)
Yiddish: איינצאָל‎ f (eyntsol)

Anagrams

rail guns, railguns

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)

singular
Antonym: plural

Derived terms

singularment

Related terms

singularitat
singularitzar

Galician

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris.

Adjective

singular m or f (plural singulares)

(grammar) singular

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris. Doublet of senheiro.

Pronunciation

(Brazil) IPA^(key): /sĩ.ɡuˈlaʁ/ [sĩ.ɡuˈlah]
- (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /sĩ.ɡuˈlaɾ/
- (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /sĩ.ɡuˈlaʁ/ [sĩ.ɡuˈlaχ]
- (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /sĩ.ɡuˈlaɻ/

(Portugal) IPA^(key): /sĩ.ɡuˈlaɾ/

Hyphenation: sin‧gu‧lar

Adjective

singular m or f (plural singulares)

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

Derived terms

singularmente

Related terms

singularidade

Noun

singular m (plural singulares)

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

Romanian

Etymology

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)

(grammar) singular

Declension

Declension of singular

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

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singulāris.

Noun

sȉngulār m (Cyrillic spelling си̏нгула̄р)

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

Spanish

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 (plural singulares)

singular
Antonym: plural
odd, peculiar

Derived terms

singularmente

Related terms

singularidad

Noun

singular m (plural singulares)

singular
Antonym: plural

singular

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

Further reading

Anagrams

Catalan

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Derived terms

Related terms

Galician

Etymology

Adjective

Portuguese

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Derived terms

Related terms

Noun

Romanian

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Declension

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Noun

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Derived terms

Related terms

Noun

Further reading