singular

Being only one of a larger population; single, individual.

Adjective

Being only one of a larger population; single, individual.
- A singular experiment cannot be regarded as scientific proof of the existence of a phenomenon.
- 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...
Synonyms: individual concrete discrete particular peculiar proper singular specific

Antonyms: general catholic common ecumenical generic nonsingular nonspecific universal unparticular unsingular unspecific
Being the only one of the kind; unique.
- She has a singular personality.
- 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: […]...
- singular instances - 1620, Francis Bacon, Novum Organum:
Synonyms: unique alone azygous incomparable matchless nonpareil only peerless singular sui generis unequaled unparalleled unmatched unrivalled
Distinguished by superiority: peerless, unmatched, eminent, exceptional, extraordinary.
- a man of singular gravity or attainments
Synonyms: exceptional extraordinary remarkable
Out of the ordinary; curious.
- It was very singular; I don't know why he did it.
- 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,...
- His zeal / None seconded, as out of season judged, / Or singular and rash. - 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert...
Synonyms: curious eccentric funny odd peculiar rum rummy strange unusual aberrant abnormal alien anomalous as queer as Dick's hatband bizarre booky deviant discrepant eerie eldritch errant exceptional extraordinary fey
Referring to only one thing or person.
Antonyms: plural
Having no inverse.
Synonyms: non-invertible

Antonyms: invertible non-singular
Having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero.
Not equal to its own cofinality.
Each; individual.
- to convey several parcels of land, all and singular
- Cel[adon]. […] Hovv do Meliſſa’s tvvo fair Daughters? / Aſt[eria]. VVhen you tell me vvhich of ’em you are in love vvith, I’le anſvver you. / Cel. VVhich of ’em, naughty ſiſter, vvhat a question’s there? VVith both of...
Engaged in by only one on a side; single.
- Thus made he an end, and the two princes allowed well of his last motion, and so order was taken, that they should fight togither in a singular combat - 1577, Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of...