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
-
Neon Carnival Neon Carnival hits a major milestone this year, celebrating 15 years as one of the festival weekend's most exclusive, invite-only parties known for attracting A-list stars (hey Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce!—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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This crossing is not the only bridge in the Sacramento region with safety concerns.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
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.—
SI.com,
SI.com,
3 Aug. 2019
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Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive.—
Johannes Himmelreich,
BostonGlobe.com,
30 Mar. 2018
Adjective
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The slot cornerback position might be the lone starting spot on the depth chart that lacks an obvious answer.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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Right-hander Edward Cabrera worked around five walks for 5 2/3 shutout innings and Amaya’s one-out RBI single in the eighth stood as the game’s lone run.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Featuring one-of-a-kind prints and stand out colors, each piece feels special -- like it was made just for you.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Primary dealers, a special designation set by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, are required to participate in Treasury auctions and submit bids.—
Colin Dodds,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sui generis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sui%20generis. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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