English
singular
Singular comes from Latin singulāris ‘alone of its kind’, and goes back to singulus ‘single’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsingulus‘single’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsingulāris‘alone of its kind’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500singuler
- Englishearliest quotation 1387–1400singular
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsingulus‘single’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsingulāris‘alone of its kind’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500singuler
- Englishearliest quotation 1387–1400singular
Earliest quotation: 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale: “And God forbid that all a company / Should…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one’
some, same, seem, simple, simply, soft, similar, sam, resemble, assemble, sincerely, simulation, anomaly, resemblance, simultaneous, sincerity, semblance, anomalous, simulate, homeopathic, synapse, assimilate, homology, hyphen, insincere, simile, sempre, synchronise, homolog, simulacrum, 46 more
through Latin singulus ‘single’
Today it means
adj Being only one of a larger population; single, individual.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin singulus / singular