singular Hear it!

singular definition

sin·gu·lar (siŋ′gyə lər)

adjective

  1. being the only one of its kind; single; unique a singular specimen
  2. exceptional; extraordinary; remarkable singular beauty
  3. peculiar; strange; odd what a singular remark!
  4. Archaic existing apart from others; separate; individual
  5. Gram. designating or of the category of number that refers to only one person or thing
  6. Logic of an individual or particular thing considered by itself

Etymology: ME singuler < OFr < L singularis < singulus, single

noun

  1. Gram.
    1. the singular number
    2. the singular form of a word
    3. a word in singular form
  2. Logic a thing considered apart from all others

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

singular Synonyms

singular

modif.

  1. Referring to one

    sole, one only, single; see unique 1.

  2. Odd or strange

    peculiar, uncommon, extraordinary; see rare 2, unusual 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

singular Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • import: Words importing one gender include all other genders and words importing the singular include the plural and vise versa.

Adjective modifier

  • third: The main thing to remember about the present time in English is the third person singular.

Modifies a noun

  • decomposition: The singular value decomposition is a very useful tool in this chapter.

Modifying Another Word

  • somewhat: These people have a somewhat singular taste in the matter of relics.

Noun used with modifier

  • person: Use 3rd person or plural instead 1st person singular in your summary.
singular usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

singular quotes

   Is it not singular how some men continue to obtain the reputation of popular authorship without adding a word to the literature of their country worthy of note?† To puff and to get one's self puffed have become different branches of a new profession.

-Trollope, Anthony

singular quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"singular." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/singular>

APA Style

singular. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/singular

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