single

¹sin·gle

adj \ˈsiŋ-gəl\

Definition of SINGLE

1

a : not married b : of or relating to celibacy

2

: unaccompanied by others : lone, sole <the single survivor of the disaster>

3

a (1) : consisting of or having only one part, feature, or portion <single consonants> (2) : consisting of one as opposed to or in contrast with many : uniform <a single standard for men and women> (3) : consisting of only one in number <holds to a single ideal> b : having but one whorl of petals or ray flowers <a single rose>

4

a : consisting of a separate unique whole : individual <every single citizen> b : of, relating to, or involving only one person

5

a : frank, honest <a single devotion> b : exclusively attentive <an eye single to the truth>

6

: unbroken, undivided

7

: having no equal or like : singular

8

: designed for the use of one person only <a single room> <a single bed>

Examples of SINGLE

1. A single shoe was found.
2. It costs $10 for a single glass of wine!
3. a single serving of carrots
4. He earns $2,000 in a single week.

Origin of SINGLE

Middle English sengle, from Anglo-French, from Latin singulus one only; akin to Latin sem- one — more at same

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SINGLE

Synonyms: unattached, unmarried, unwed

Antonyms: attached, espoused, hitched, married, wedded (also wed)

Related Words: fancy-free, footloose; marriageable, unpaired; divorced, separated

Near Antonyms: mated, paired; affianced, betrothed, committed, engaged, pledged, promised; remarried

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Seed Plant Terms

aubergine, box, bramble, briar, composite, perpetual, pulse, trefoil

Rhymes with SINGLE

cringle, dingle, jingle, mingle, shingle, tingle