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Singular vs Atomic - What's the difference?

singular | atomic |

As adjectives the difference between singular and atomic

is that singular is being only one of a larger population while atomic is of or relating to atoms.

As a noun singular

is a form of a word that refers to only one person or thing.

singular

English

Alternative forms

* (abbreviation):

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Being only one of a larger population.
    • A singular experiment cannot be regarded as scientific proof of the existence of a phenomenon.
  • Being the only one of the kind; unique.
    • She has a singular personality.
  • * Addison
    • These busts of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind.
  • * Chaucer
    • And God forbid that all a company / Should rue a singular man's folly.
    (Francis Bacon)
  • Distinguished by superiority; eminent; extraordinary; exceptional.
    • a man of singular gravity or attainments
  • Out of the ordinary; curious.
    • It was very singular ; I don't know why he did it.
  • * Denham
    • So singular a sadness / Must have a cause as strange as the effect.
  • * Milton
    • His zeal / None seconded, as out of season judged, / Or singular and rash.
  • (grammar) Referring to only one thing or person.
  • (linear algebra, of matrix) Having no inverse.
  • (linear algebra, of transformation) Having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero.
  • (set theory, of a cardinal number) Not equal to its own .
  • (legal) Each; individual.
    • to convey several parcels of land, all and singular
  • (obsolete) Engaged in by only one on a side; single.
  • * Holinshed
    • to try the matter thus together in a singular combat

    Synonyms

    * (being only one) individual * (being the only one of a kind) unique * (distinguished by superiority) exceptional, extraordinary, remarkable * (being out of the ordinary) curious, eccentric, funny, odd, peculiar, strange, rum, rummy, unusual * non-invertible

    Antonyms

    * plural * invertible, non-singular

    Derived terms

    * singularity * singularize

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (grammar) A form of a word that refers to only one person or thing.

    • Antonyms

    * plural

    External links

    * * *

    See also

    * * simplex * simple * single * singulus

    Anagrams

    * ----

    atomic

    English

    Adjective

  • (physics, chemistry) Of or relating to atoms
    • A stream of atomic hydrogen is emitted
  • Of or employing nuclear energy or processes
    • We built a small atomic bomb in the garage
  • Infinitesimally small
    • The hairs on a bedbug are almost atomic
  • Unable to be split or made any smaller
    • A bit is an atomic item of data
  • (computing) Said of an operation that is guaranteed to either complete fully, or not at all.
    • In order to avoid race conditions, this operation has to be atomic

    Antonyms

    * molecular (1)

    Derived terms

    * atomically * atomic bomb * atomic charge * atomic cocktail * atomicity * atomic mass * atomic wedgie * atomic weight