Where does “singular” come from?
Singular comes from Middle English singuler, from Latin singularis, formed from the Proto-Indo-European root sem- meaning one, through the Latin adjectival suffixes -alis and -aris.
singular (English): Being only one of a larger population; Being the...
Definitions
- Being only one of a larger population; Being the...
Ancestry of “singular”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | singuler | — |
| 2 | Latin | singulāris | singular, unique, unusual |
| 3 | Latin | singulus | single; apiece; every |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | sem-g-lo- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sem- | together, one |