Synonyms of sui generis

sui generis

adjective

ˌsü-ˌī-ˈje-nə-rəs 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• only
• one
• lone
• special
• unique
• sole
• alone
• solitary
• distinctive
• single
• singular
• distinct
• inimitable
• unsurpassable
• unrivaled
• unparalleled
• incomparable
• unattended
• unequaled
• unsurpassed
• unaccompanied
• one-off
• matchless
• unmatched
• separate
• individual
• solo
• peerless
• nonce

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• myriad
• varied
• mixed
• miscellaneous
• assorted
• multifarious
• prevalent
• manifold
• promiscuous
• prevailing
• popular
• rampant
• heterogenous
• divers
• recurrent
• repeated
• motley
• patchwork
• perennial

Example Sentences

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

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