unique

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /juːˈniːk/ See IPA manual

Freq #2755

Meanings

1

adj
Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.

Every person has a unique set of fingerprints.
2

adj
Very special, remarkable, or unusual.

The city has a unique charm that visitors never forget.
3

adj
Belonging to only one particular person, place, or thing.

This plant is unique to the island and grows nowhere else.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · being the only one of its... one of a kindsingularone-off

2 adj · very special, remarkable,... unparalleled unequalled

More alone azygous incomparable matchless nonpareil only peerless unequaled unmatched unrivalled

Opposites

common normal

Word family

Forms uniquely

Derived forms non-uniqueuniqueluniquenessuniquifyuniquity

Related forms ideal inimitable nonesuchone-of-a-kindone-offparagon snowflake sole solitary strange unicity uniqueness

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

unique ability
an unusually rare or distinctive capability

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Unique, recorded in English from the early 17th century, is linked with one through the ancient root that one shares with Latin unus.

Etymology

Borrowed from French unique. Piecewise doublet of any.

unique French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# unique

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /juːˈniːk/
**Frequency rank:** 2755

## Meanings
1. Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.
2. Very special, remarkable, or unusual.
3. Belonging to only one particular person, place, or thing.

## Examples
- Every person has a unique set of fingerprints.
- The city has a unique charm that visitors never forget.
- This plant is unique to the island and grows nowhere else.

## Synonyms
- alone
- azygous
- incomparable
- matchless
- nonpareil
- only
- peerless
- singular
- unequaled
- unmatched
- unparalleled
- unrivalled

## Antonyms
- common
- normal

## Derived Forms
- non-unique
- uniquel
- uniqueness
- uniquify
- uniquity

## Related Forms
- ideal
- inimitable
- nonesuch
- one-of-a-kind
- one-off
- paragon
- snowflake
- sole
- solitary
- strange
- unicity
- uniqueness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: unique

## Etymology
Borrowed from French unique. Piecewise doublet of any.

## AI Etymology
Unique is borrowed from French unique. Piecewise doublet of any. The historical line also includes French unique. In present-day use, it can mean being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else, or very special, remarkable, or unusual. Derived formations include non-unique, uniquel, uniqueness, uniquify, uniquity.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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