singularity

noun

sin·​gu·​lar·​i·​ty ˌsiŋ-gyə-ˈler-ə-tē 

-ˈla-rə-

plural singularities

1

: something that is singular: such as

a

: a separate unit

b

: unusual or distinctive manner or behavior : peculiarity

2

: the quality or state of being singular

3

: a point at which the derivative of a given function of a complex variable does not exist but every neighborhood of which contains points for which the derivative does exist

4

: a point or region of infinite mass density at which space and time are infinitely distorted by gravitational forces and which is held to be the final state of matter falling into a black hole

Synonyms

• crotchet
• curiosity
• eccentricity
• erraticism
• idiosyncrasy
• individualism
• kink
• mannerism
• oddity
• peculiarity
• quiddity
• quip
• quirk
• tic
• trick
• twist

Examples of singularity in a Sentence

People could not understand the singularity of his imagination.

a college professor with singularities of dress and speech that have long endeared him to his students

Recent Examples on the Web

Over a menacing synth track, Arcángel compares the singularity of his talents on a mic to Maradona’s on the field. —Cat Cardenas, Vulture, 5 Apr. 2024

The black hole at the Page time would suddenly lose its interior, and spacetime would come to an end, not at the singularity deep inside the black hole but right there at the event horizon. —Ahmed Almheiri, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2022

In this case, the new work shows that the BGV singularity would be a real physical curvature singularity, at which the laws of gravity stop making sense. —Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 31 May 2024

But, at the same time, maintaining their cultural and creative singularity. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 16 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

singularity

noun

sin·​gu·​lar·​i·​ty ˌsiŋ-gyə-ˈlar-ət-ē 

plural singularities

1

: the quality or state of being singular

2

: something that is singular : peculiarity

3

: a point or region of infinite density which is held to be the final state of matter falling into a black hole