as in only
being the one or ones of a class with no other members
among history's greats Leonardo da Vinci is often considered sui generis—a man of such stupendous genius that the world may never see his like again
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Recent Examples of sui generis
The same thing can be said about the narrowcast programming on public-access television, which, at its best, vibrated with sui generis excitement that predated and forecasted the early uncharted territory of the internet.
—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
The resulting footage was only discovered by the Cinémathèque in 2023; now edited together into a cohesive work, this invaluable and sui generis artifact finds one master filmmaker engaging with and taking in thewisdom, riddles, and pronouncements of another.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 2026
The sui generis nature of Japanese culture, practices and lifestyle continue to be a font of inspiration for directors in the region.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
His photography is truly rare—sui generis.
—
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sui generis
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
The resulting footage was only discovered by the Cinémathèque in 2023; now edited together into a cohesive work, this invaluable and sui generis artifact finds one master filmmaker engaging with and taking in thewisdom, riddles, and pronouncements of another.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 2026
The sui generis nature of Japanese culture, practices and lifestyle continue to be a font of inspiration for directors in the region.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
His photography is truly rare—sui generis.
—
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sui generis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sui generis
Adjective
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Powell became emotional again when the prosecutor said Walton’s sister – his only close surviving relative – fully supported the decision to set him free.
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The Toronto fan base, which landed a finalist at every position and two outfielders, is Langeliers’ only true obstacle left to overcome en route to a starting job at the All-Star Game.
Adjective
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Drinkwater didn't make one appearance in a Chelsea shirt last season, whilst Bakayoko spent the season in Italy on loan at AC Milan.
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Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive.
Adjective
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The van’s windows were smashed and a lone orange traffic cone sat on the hood.
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While South Africa and Ivory Coast thus far are the lone CAF squads to get bounced from the knockout stage, an impressive nine of 10 CAF squads made it to the knockout stage.
Adjective
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As Taylor Swift appeared on the screen at Nissan Stadium during Alan Jackson's farewell concert in Nashville, the singer-songwriter was met with boos and cheers during her special video message.
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This year, there was a special emphasis on the transgender community, which has become a frequent political target of late.
Cite this Entry
“Sui generis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sui%20generis. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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