adjective
unique
yoo-NEEK
adjective
1
Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.
"Every snowflake is said to be unique."
"The building's design is unique in the city."
2
Particularly special or remarkable.
"She has a unique talent for putting people at ease."
How to Use Unique
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOne of a kind — nothing else is quite like it.
Common mistake
Strictly, "unique" is an absolute — something either is or isn't the only one of its kind, so many style guides say you shouldn't say "very unique" or "more unique". In casual speech people do it anyway.
Common pairings
truly unique
unique opportunity
unique feature
Word Forms
uniquer comparative, more unique comparative, uniques plural, uniquest superlative, most unique superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “unique”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Every snowflake is said to be _____.
Etymology
Borrowed from French unique, from Latin unicus ("only, sole").