I. |nänpə|rel sometimes |nən- or -rī(ə)l or -rā(ə)l or -rē(ə)l or, by British printers ˈnänprə̇l or ˈnämp- adjective
Etymology: Middle French, from non- non- (I) + pareil equal, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin pariculus, from Latin par equal — more at pair
: having no equal : peerless
a lover's triumph in the nonpareil beauty of his mistress — Robert Lynd
II. noun
( -s )
1. : an individual of unequaled excellence : paragon
the very nonpareil of tidiness and cleanliness — Eric Linklater
nonpareils whose conduct was a model for all time — Maurice Collis
a virtuoso, a master, a nonpareil — S.H.Adams
2.
[French nonpareille, from feminine of nonpareil, adjective]
a. : an old size of type (approximately 6 point) between agate and minion
b. : 6-point interlinear space or spacing material
3.
[French nonpareille, from feminine of nonpareil, adjective]
a. : a small flat disk of chocolate covered with very small white pellets of sugar
b. : sugar in the form of small pellets of various colors used in covering candy or decorating cakes or cookies
4. : painted bunting