Singular /(sĭṉ"gū̇*lẽr)/

Sin·gu·lar

Singular

a.
  1. Separate or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.]
    And God forbid that all a company Should rue a singular man's folly.
  2. Engaged in by only one on a side; single. [Obs.]
    To try the matter thus together in a singular combat.
    — Holinshed.
  3. Existing by itself; single; individual. (Logic)
    The idea which represents one . . . determinate thing, is called a singular idea, whether simple, complex, or compound.
  4. Each; individual; as, to convey several parcels of land, all and singular. (Law)
  5. Denoting one person or thing; as, the singular number; -- opposed to dual and plural. (Gram.)
  6. Standing by itself; out of the ordinary course; unusual; uncommon; strange; as, a singular phenomenon.
    So singular a sadness Must have a cause as strange as the effect.
  7. Distinguished as existing in a very high degree; rarely equaled; eminent; extraordinary; exceptional; as, a man of singular gravity or attainments.
  8. Departing from general usage or expectations; odd; whimsical; -- often implying disapproval or censure.
    His zeal None seconded, as out of season judged, Or singular and rash.
    To be singular in anything that is wise and worthy, is not a disparagement, but a praise.
  9. Being alone; belonging to, or being, that of which there is but one; unique.
    These busts of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind.

Phrases & Compounds
Singular point in a curve
a point at which the curve possesses some peculiar properties not possessed by other points of the curve, as a cusp point, or a multiple point.
Singular proposition
a proposition having as its subject a singular term, or a common term limited to an individual by means of a singular sign.
Singular succession
division among individual successors, as distinguished from universal succession, by which an estate descended in intestacy to the heirs in mass.
Singular term
a term which represents or stands for a single individual.

Singular

n.
  1. An individual instance; a particular. [Obs.]
  2. The singular number, or the number denoting one person or thing; a word in the singular number. (Gram)