singular

adjective

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sin·gu·lar | \ ˈsiŋ-gyə-lər

Definition of singular

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

5a 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

singular

noun

Definition of singular (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the singular number, the inflectional form denoting it, or a word in that form

2 : a singular term

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Choose the Right Synonym for singular

Adjective

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 And the olive oil slicked up each and every tagliatella (Italian lesson: the singular form!) for heavenly sauce-to-strand ratios. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "51 International Recipes We're Tackling During Quarantine," 7 May 2020 In every workplace, there is that singular person everyone depends on when problems arise or an unanswerable question emerges. — Alice Adams, Houston Chronicle, "Salute to Nurses: The Houston Chronicle honors 2020's top nurse leaders," 4 May 2020 Esposito told Quartz, using the singular for lisce. — Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, "Coronavirus lockdown ignites an old Italian debate. It’s about pasta, of course," 5 Mar. 2020 But, there’s a lot more to it than just that, because both Matt and Peter are sort of well beyond any kind of singular sound. — Katie Bain, Billboard, "'Dexter' Actor Michael C. Hall on His New Dance Music Trio: 'All Roads Seem Like They Were Leading to This'," 7 Feb. 2020 While many southern African countries monetized the safari as an economy of scale, Botswana leaned into exclusivity instead of volume, championing singular, upmarket experiences for the few instead of midrange camps for the many. — Brandon Presser, Harper's BAZAAR, "The 20 Best Places to Travel in 2020," 30 Dec. 2019 Having your portrait taken by Snowdon, Wallace says, is a singular experience. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Lord Snowdon’s Work Was About So Much More Than the Royal Family," 15 Dec. 2019 The director came up through the School of the Art Institute; her film, which requires some patience but rewards it with a singular experience, took the top prize at the Rotterdam film festival. — Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, "There are over a hundred movies to see during the Chicago International Film Festival. Here’s 10 you shouldn’t miss.," 10 Oct. 2019 Is the singular for a player on the Colorado Rockies a Rockie? — Mark Kiszla, The Denver Post, "Kickin’ It with Kiz: Here’s how you will know it’s time for Broncos to start rookie QB Drew Lock," 27 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'singular.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.