unity

play

noun uni·ty \ ˈyü-nə-tē \

Definition of unity

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

See unity defined for English-language learners

See unity defined for kids

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 of unity from the Web

Wearing box braids gives me a sense of unity with the black community that makes strangers feel like family.

— maya allen, Cosmopolitan, "I Swapped My Straight Hair for 4 Months of Braids — Here's What I Learned," 21 Aug. 2017
Almost three years ago, an art installation of life-size sculptures on the VU campus meant to represent unity and connections despite differences had the opposite effect.

— amy lavalley, Post-Tribune, "Art, race issues converge in Confederate monument debate," 18 Aug. 2017
Greed has taken the place of unity for the benefit of some citizens.

— Cincinnati.com, "Column: Politics then and now," 9 Aug. 2017
For many couples who planned on having children, taking a single family name was about creating family unity.

— allie volpe, Glamour, "More Couples Are Combining Their Last Names and Creating New Family Identities," 18 July 2017
The last attempt at a Palestinian unity government, in 2015, failed.

— elliot kaufman, National Review, "Mahmoud Abbas’s Legacy Blows Up in His Face," 11 July 2017
Both of the Harmonist boutiques were designed by a Franco-Indian interior designer by the name of Alnoor, whose feng shui beliefs come heavily into the flow of the layout, blended with the right fusion of modernity and symbolic unity.

— vanityfair.com, "The Art of Zen," 10 July 2017
Everyone shakes hands and smiles for the cameras, sending a message of unity and cooperation.

— kayleigh roberts, Marie Claire, "Donald Trump Just Got Snubbed While Trying to Shake Hands with the First Lady of Poland," 6 July 2017
The White House said Trump urged unity and reiterated the importance of stopping terrorist financing and discrediting extremist ideology.

— maggie hyde, The Seattle Times, "Arab nations extend deadline in Qatar crisis by 48 hours," 3 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of unity

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

unity Synonyms

UNITY Defined for English Language Learners

unity

play

noun

Definition of unity for English Language Learners

: the state of being in full agreement
: a way of combining the parts in a work of art or literature so that they seem to belong together

UNITY Defined for Kids

unity

play

noun uni·ty \ ˈyü-nə-tē \

Definition of unity for Students

plural unities

1 :the quality or state of being one

2 :the state of those who are in full agreement :harmony

Why can't we live in unity?

Law Dictionary

unity

play

noun uni·ty \ ˈyü-nə-tē \

legal Definition of unity

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.