unity

noun

uni·​ty ˈyü-nə-tē 

plural unities

1

a

: the quality or state of not being multiple : oneness

b(1)

: a definite amount taken as one or for which 1 is made to stand in calculation

in a table of natural sines the radius of the circle is regarded as unity

(2)

: identity element

2

a

: a condition of harmony : accord

b

: continuity without deviation or change (as in purpose or action)

3

a

: the quality or state of being made one : unification

b

: a combination or ordering of parts in a literary or artistic production that constitutes a whole or promotes an undivided total effect

also : the resulting singleness of effect or symmetry and consistency of style and character

4

: a totality of related parts : an entity that is a complex or systematic whole

5

: any of three principles of dramatic structure derived by French classicists from Aristotle's Poetics and requiring a play to have a single action represented as occurring in one place and within one day

6

capitalized : a 20th century American religious movement that emphasizes spiritual sources of health and prosperity

Synonyms

• balance
• coherence
• concinnity
• consonance
• consonancy
• harmony
• orchestration
• proportion
• symmetry
• symphony

Examples of unity in a Sentence

a sense of national unity

there's an aesthetic unity to the sculpture garden that makes it an ideal spot for quiet relaxing

Recent Examples on the Web

But most quickly pivoted to public expressions of optimism and unity. —Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024

Join the Genius Flower Foundation and The Cupboard to promote peace, positivity, and unity. —Allison Kiehl, The Enquirer, 17 Apr. 2024

The organization’s mission includes encouraging residents to pay more attention to local government affairs, fostering community appreciation and unity and empowering residents to participate in elections. —Yan Zhao, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024

Not only will the Mar-a-Lago event on Friday be crucial to Johnson’s speakership, the hope is to also rally House Republicans together to portray unity after months of intra-party bickering and infighting. —USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

There, Biden and Kishida toasted to messages of unity. MORE: US, Japan to make 'historic' announcements at summit, including on defense and AI: Official On Thursday, Biden will host a trilateral meeting with Kishida and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. —Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2024

The Panthers will continue to rely on team unity as their driving force. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024

The policy, though undoubtedly restrictive given football’s current financial climate, breeds a unique relationship of unity and oneness between players and fans unlike anywhere else. —Matias Grez, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024

But in the end, the CMT Awards have always strived to promote unity and spotlight diversity, especially over the past few years. —Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English unite, from Anglo-French unité, from Latin unitat-, unitas, from unus one — more at one

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

unity

noun

uni·​ty ˈyü-nət-ē 

plural unities

1

: the quality or state of being one

2

: the state of those that are in full agreement : harmony

3

a

: a mathematical quantity or combination of quantities treated as equivalent to one in a calculation

called the distance between earth and the sun unity and calculated other distances as multiples

b

: identity element

4

: the combination or arrangement of parts in a work of art or literature that produces a total effect

Legal Definition

unity

noun

uni·​ty ˈyü-nə-tē 

plural unities

1

: the quality or state of not being multiple : the quality or state of being one, single, whole, or the same

only if there is unity of ownership of the immovable and movables

2

: an aspect (as time, title, interest, or possession) of a joint tenancy that must be identical as it relates to the cotenants

such a conveyance severs the joint tenancy by removing the unities of time and title

Note: At common law, all four unities were required to be present for a joint tenancy. Conveying the interests of the cotenants at the same time creates the unity of time. Conveying the interests of the cotenants in the same instrument creates the unity of title. Conveying the same interest (as fee simple absolute) to the cotenants creates the unity of interest. Conveying a common right of possession or enjoyment creates the unity of possession.