Singular Meaning
/ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjBeing only one of a larger population; single, individual.
adjBeing the only one of the kind; unique.
Sentence Examples
He is a boy of singular intelligence.
She is a woman of singular beauty.
In German, the feminine definite article's genitive singular is "der".
CEFR Practice Quiz
The scientist discovered a ____ property of the new material that no other material has.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The word 'child' is the ____ form of the plural word 'children'.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English singuler, from Old French, from Latin singulāris (“alone of its kind”), from Latin singulus (“single”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"And God forbid that all a company / Should rue a singular manne's folly."
— 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; Charles Cowden Clarke, editor, The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer. […], 2nd edition, volume III, Edinburgh: James Nichol; London: James Nisbet & Co.; Dublin: W. Robertson, 1860, →OCLC, page 158:
"The busts[…] of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind."
— 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
"singular instances"
— 1620, Francis Bacon, Novum Organum:
"A group of finches, of which Mr. Gould considers there are thirteen species; and these he has distributed into for new sub-genera. These birds are the most singular of any in the archipelago."
— 1839, Charles Darwin, Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty’s Ships Adventure and Beagle, between the Years 1826 and 1836, […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 461–462:
"So ſingular a ſadneſs / Muſt have a cauſe as ſtrange as the effect: […]"
— 1641 (first performance), [John Denham], The Sophy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 11:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The scientist discovered a ____ property of the new material that no other material has.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The word 'child' is the ____ form of the plural word 'children'.