unitary

adjective

uni·​tary ˈyü-nə-ˌter-ē 

1

a

: of or relating to a unit

b

: based on or characterized by unity or units

2

: having the character of a unit : undivided, whole

unitarily

ˌyü-nə-ˈter-ə-lē 

adverb

Examples of unitary in a Sentence

the formation of a unitary state

Recent Examples on the Web

Many of the Supreme Court's conservative justices have expressed support for the idea known as unitary executive theory, which holds that the Constitution gives the president broad authority to fire officials that Congress cannot limit. —Justin Jouvenal The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 9 Dec. 2025

Total control Remarks by conservative justices in those cases indicated that the court will soon reassess anti-unitary precedents. —Graham G. Dodds, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025

Would a unitary executive affect the FCC? —Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025

A smoke screen to obscure an unprecedented consolidation of power and unitary intimidation and coldly antithetical to any experiment in a constitutional republic governance. —Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for unitary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

unitary

adjective

uni·​tary ˈyü-nə-ˌter-ē 

1

a

: of or relating to a unit

b

: based on or marked by unity or units

2

: having the character of a unit : whole

Legal Definition

unitary

adjective

uni·​tary ˈyü-nə-ˌter-ē 

1

: having the character of a single thing that is a constituent of a whole

specifically : of, relating to, or being a business with subsidiaries in other states or nations that has its state income tax figured by including the subsidiaries' income, determining the portion of that income attributable to activities within the state, and taxing that percentage

a unitary business operating throughout the U.S.

imposed a unitary tax on a multinational corporation

2

: marked by unity : not dual or segregated : integrated sense 3

a unitary school district

unitariness noun