singular

1 of 2

adjective

sin·​gu·​lar ˈsiŋ-gyə-lər How to pronounce singular (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to a separate person or thing : individual
b
: of, relating to, or being a word form denoting one person, thing, or instance
a singular noun
c
: of or relating to a single instance or to something considered by itself
2
: distinguished by superiority : exceptional
an artist of singular attainments
3
: being out of the ordinary : unusual
on the way home we had a singular adventure
4
: departing from general usage or expectation : peculiar, odd
the air had a singular chill
5
a
of a matrix : having a determinant equal to zero
b
of a linear transformation : having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero
singularly adverb

singular

2 of 2

noun

1
: the singular number, the inflectional form denoting it, or a word in that form
2
: a singular term
Choose the Right Synonym for singular

strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected.

strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.

a journey filled with strange sights

singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness.

a singular feeling of impending disaster

unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel.

a career unique in the annals of science

peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.

the peculiar status of America's First Lady

eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.

the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating.

a friend's suddenly erratic behavior

odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.

an odd sense of humor

quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.

a quaint fishing village

outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.

outlandish fashions of the time

Examples of singular in a Sentence

Adjective In the phrase “his car is red,” the word “car” is a singular noun. He had a singular appearance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Hatt came up as an assistant for directors such as Matthew Vaughn and Gunn, learning the filmmaking trade from some of the most stylish and singular voices in the business. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024 First, women and men voters are not monolithic, so over-emphasizing a singular gender gap misses the important diversity in voter preferences and behavior among women and men. Kelly Dittmar, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
Fortunately, though the show participated in Under the Radar, director Dmitry Krymov’s singular take on the most beloved Russian book by the most beloved Russian writer is still playing at BRIC through January 28. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2024 But in his singular — at times, prohibitive — focus on the threat posed by China, Colby downgrades the significance of seemingly every other American strategic priority. Noah Rothman, National Review, 23 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for singular 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'singular.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English singuler, from Anglo-French, from Latin singularis, from singulus only one — more at single

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of singular was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Singular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/singular. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

singular

1 of 2 adjective
sin·​gu·​lar ˈsiŋ-gyə-lər How to pronounce singular (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to a separate person or thing : individual
b
: of, relating to, or constituting a word form denoting one person, thing, or instance
a singular noun
c
: of or relating to a single instance or to something considered by itself
2
3
: different from general expectations : peculiar
singularly adverb

singular

2 of 2 noun
: something that is singular
especially : the singular number, the inflectional form denoting it, or a word in that form

More from Merriam-Webster on singular

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