different between singular vs definite

English

Alternative forms

• sing., sg., sg (abbreviation)

Etymology

From Middle English singuler, borrowed from Old French, from Latin singul?ris (“alone of its kind”), from Latin singulus (“single”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s???j?l?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s???j?l?/

Adjective

singular (comparative more singular, superlative most singular)

1. Being only one of a larger population.

   Synonym: individual

   Antonym: general

2. Being the only one of the kind; unique.

   • The busts […] of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind.

   • And God forbid that all a company / Should rue a singular manne's folly.

   • 1620, Francis Bacon, Novum Organum

     singular instances

   Synonym: unique

3. Distinguished by superiority: peerless, unmatched, eminent, exceptional, extraordinary.

   Synonyms: exceptional, extraordinary, remarkable

4. Out of the ordinary; curious.
   • 1641, John Denham, The Sophy

     So singular a sadness / Must have a cause as strange as the effect.

   Synonyms: curious, eccentric, funny, odd, peculiar, rum, rummy, strange, unusual

5. (grammar) Referring to only one thing or person.

   Antonym: plural

6. (linear algebra, of matrix) Having no inverse.

   Synonym: non-invertible

   Antonyms: invertible, non-singular

7. (linear algebra, of transformation) Having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero.
8. (set theory, of a cardinal number) Not equal to its own cofinality.
9. (law) Each; individual.

10. (obsolete) 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

Synonyms

• (being only one): see also Thesaurus:specific
• (being the only one of a kind): see also Thesaurus:unique
• (being out of the ordinary): see also Thesaurus:strange

Antonyms

• (being only one): see also Thesaurus:generic

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

singular (plural singulars)

1. (grammar) A form of a word that refers to only one person or thing.

   Antonym: plural

2. (logic) That which is not general; a specific determinate instance.

Derived terms

• singulare tantum

Related terms

• plural

Translations

See also

• (grammatical numbers) grammatical number; singular, dual, trial, quadral, paucal, plural ^{(Category: en:Grammar)}

Further reading

• singular in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• singular in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• singular at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• rail guns, railguns

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singul?ris. Doublet of senglar.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /si?.?u?la/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /si?.?u?la?/

Adjective

singular (masculine and feminine plural singulars)

1. singular

   Antonym: plural

Derived terms

• singularment

Related terms

Galician

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singul?ris.

Adjective

singular m or f (plural singulares)

1. (grammar) singular

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singul?ris. Doublet of senheiro.

Adjective

singular m or f (plural singulares, comparable)

1. singular (being the only one of a kind)

   Synonym: único

2. (grammar) singular (referring to only one thing)

   Antonym: plural

Derived terms

• singularmente

Related terms

• singularidade

Noun

singular m (plural singulares)

1. (grammar) singular (form of a word that refers to only one thing)

   Antonym: plural

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singul?ris.

Noun

s?ngul?r m (Cyrillic spelling ??????????)

1. singular

   Synonym: jednìna

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin singul?ris. Doublet of señero.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sin?u?la?/, [s??.?u?la?]

Adjective

singular (plural singulares)

1. singular

   Antonym: plural

2. odd, peculiar

Derived terms

• singularmente

Related terms

• singularidad

Noun

singular m (plural singulares)

1. singular

   Antonym: plural

Further reading

• “singular” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.

English

Etymology

From Latin d?f?n?tus, past participle of d?f?ni?, whence also English define.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?d?f?n?t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?d?f?n?t/, /?d?f?n?t/

Adjective

definite (comparative more definite, superlative most definite)

1. Having distinct limits.

   definite dimensions; a definite measure; a definite period or interval

   • 1837, William Whewell, History of the Inductive Sciences, London: John W. Parker, Volume 3, Book 14, Chapter 8, p. 145,^[1]

     […] elements combine in definite proportions […]

2. Free from any doubt.

   Synonym: unquestionable

   definite knowledge

3. Determined; resolved; decided.
   • c. 1609, William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, Act I, Scene 6,^[2]

     […] idiots in this case of favour would

     Be wisely definite;

4. (linguistics) Designating an identified or immediately identifiable person or thing, or group of persons or things

   the definite article

Antonyms

• indefinite

Derived terms

• definite article
• definitely

Related terms

• define
• definitive
• indefinite

Translations

Noun

definite (plural definites)

1. (grammar) A word or phrase that designates a specified or identified person or entity.
2. (obsolete) Anything that is defined or determined.

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /de.fi?ni.te/

Verb

definite

1. second-person plural indicative present of definire
2. second-person plural imperative present of definire

Adjective

definite

1. feminine plural of definito

Latin

Verb

d?f?n?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of d?f?ni?

References

• definite in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers