single

The word “single” means being just one, on its own, without anything else alongside it. In plain terms, one and only one — used for objects, people who aren't in a relationship, or standalone songs.

“Single” is pronounced SIHNGGL (/ˈsɪŋɡəl/ in IPA).

Here is “single” used in a sentence: “A single candle lit the whole room.”

Depending on how it is used, “single” can be an adjective, a noun and a verb.

The word “single” comes from Latin. From Old French sengle/single, from Latin singulus ("one, individual") — related to simplex, the root of "simple.".

“Single” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Single” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: being just one, on its own, without anything else alongside it.

Single means just one, on its own: a single tree. Singular can also mean one, especially in grammar, where a singular noun refers to one thing rather than many. But singular has a second meaning — remarkable or unusual, as in 'a singular talent.' Single never carries that sense of being extraordinary.

When single means just one, its opposites are multiple, several, or many. In the sense of one item that could be doubled, the opposite is double. And where single describes being unmarried or unattached, the opposite is married or in a relationship. The right opposite depends on the meaning intended.

No. The core meaning of single is simply 'just one,' as in a single ticket or a single word. It only means unmarried or not in a romantic relationship when describing a person's status. Context makes it clear — 'a single room' is about quantity, while 'she is single' is about relationships.

You might ask for 'a single ticket,' meaning just one, or point to 'a single cloud in the sky.' The word stresses that there is only one of something, with nothing else alongside it. It also appears in phrases like 'every single day,' where it adds emphasis to mean each one without exception.