n.
Pronunciation: ' si ŋ -gy ə -l ə r
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English singuler, from Anglo-French, from Latin singularis, from singulus only one ― more at SINGLE
Date: 14th century
1 a : of or relating to a separate person or thing : INDIVIDUAL b : of, relating to, or being a word form denoting one person, thing, or instance <a singular noun> c : of or relating to a single instance or to something considered by itself
2 : distinguished by superiority : EXCEPTIONAL <an artist of singular attainments>
3 : being out of the ordinary : UNUSUAL <on the way home we had a singular adventure>
4 : departing from general usage or expectation : PECULIAR , ODD <the air had a singular chill>
5 a of a matrix : having a determinant equal to zero b of a linear transformation : having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero
synonyms see STRANGE
– sin · gu · lar · ly adverb