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 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
People think that this fake news phenomenon is a sui generis invention of the digital age.
—JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sui generis
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
People think that this fake news phenomenon is a sui generis invention of the digital age.
—JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sui generis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sui generis
Adjective
-
Same for Lainey Wilson’s badges-only showcase that failed to fill Stubb’s BBQ.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
-
As Petzold had come to understand, the only way to survive is to build something new.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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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Velasquez did even better, stringing together nine straight winning seasons that included a program-record 33 wins in 2021-22, three of the program’s four regional titles and its lone sectional title in 2022-23.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
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The Cardinal lost their lone meeting against West Virginia in 1959 in Los Angeles.—
Laurence Miedema,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Given toads held special significance of toads in many southwestern Chinese cultures, archaeologists had to deduce that the drum carried not only music, but deeper messages and meanings.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The February special-election results were a further blow.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sui generis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sui%20generis. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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