I. ˈsiŋgyələ(r) adjective
Etymology: Middle English singuler, from Middle French singuler, singulier, from Latin singularis single, solitary, singular, from singulus one only, individual + -aris -ar — more at single
1.
a. : of or relating to a separate person or thing : individual
every fact in the world might be singular , that is, unlike any other fact and sole of its kind — William James
assumption that the singular person can be understood apart from his culture — American Polit. Sci. Review
saw that each weed was a singular knife — Stephen Crane
to all and singular to whom these presents shall come, greetings
b. : of, relating to, or being a word form denoting one person, thing, or instance
one subject usually takes a singular verb
— opposed to plural ; compare dual
c. : of or relating to a single instance or to something considered by itself : applied to only one individual
a singular term
a singular proposition
— opposed to general
d.
(1) : of or relating to a single or individual unit
convey several parcels of land all and singular
(2) : of, relating to, or affecting a particular property or one or more separate interests or rights in property as distinguished from the entire body of a decedent's estate or any interest or right in property acquired otherwise than by inheritance — compare singular succession
2.
a. obsolete : set apart or distinguished by superiority : eminent
b. : of considerable extent or worth : extraordinary , exceptional
achieved a singular mechanical triumph that won him wide renown — Sherwood Anderson
a singular poetic achievement — H.W.V.Lange
holds a singular regard for his people
his death is a singular loss
c. obsolete : especially helpful or efficacious : beneficial
3. archaic
a. : consisting of one only
b. : having but one on each side
those in his high place fight no singular combats — Sir Walter Scott
4.
a. : of unusual quality : uncommon , unique
various speculations put forward in explanation of the singular phenomena of this remarkable place — Harry Luke
a work of singular originality and analytical power — Economica
that woman of singular mystery, the Mona Lisa — Elizabeth Janeway
b. : rare , valuable
a man of singular charm and sterling character — D.S.Muzzey
an effect of singular grace and delicacy — American Guide Series: Maine
of singular and exquisite workmanship
5.
a. : being at variance with others : differing , contrary
am not singular in the opinion that much of the disease which does prevail might be avoided — Charles Dickens
nor are we singular in our judgment — Aldous Huxley
b. : departing from general usage or expectation : peculiar , eccentric
a singular dog … of the color of chocolate — Arnold Bennett
singular to say, the one dangerous and objectionable feature in this little volume preserved it from limbo — George Meredith
hit upon the singular expedient of diminishing the quality of their justice in order to reduce the demand for it — T.F.T.Plucknett
c. : possessing various unique mathematical properties
a singular point or integral in a differential equation
Synonyms: see strange
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Latin singularis, from singularis, adjective, single
1. : the singular number, the inflectional form denoting it, or a word in that form
that the human mind has to think in terms of singular and plural — Weston La Barre
he is the singular of they
2.
a. archaic : a single person, instance, or thing : individual
eloquence would be but a poor thing, if we should converse only with singulars — Ben Jonson
b. : something that is considered by itself or as a single term ; also : singular proposition — usually used in plural
experiences might all have been singulars, no one of them occurring twice — William James
an accepted principle in the middle ages that reason or intellect and science are of universals, whereas the senses are of singulars — G.P.Klubertanz
c.
(1) obsolete : an adult wild boar
(2) : a company of wild boars
III. adjective
1. of a matrix : having a determinant equal to zero
2. of a linear transformation : having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero