Dictionary

singulative en · ADJ

Etymology

From French singulatif, from Latin singillatim (“singly", "one by one”), from singulus (“single", "separate”), from Proto-Italic *sem-g-lo-, a diminutive form derived from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one, together”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Of or pertaining to a grammatical form or construction that expresses the individuation of a single referent from a mass noun.
   • English doesn't have a singulative number in general, but many uncountable nouns have usual singulative constructions.

Deriveds

singulatively

singulative en · NOUN

Etymology

From French singulatif, from Latin singillatim (“singly", "one by one”), from singulus (“single", "separate”), from Proto-Italic *sem-g-lo-, a diminutive form derived from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one, together”).

Meanings

1. A singulative form or construction.
   • The singulative of "scissors" is "a pair of scissors".
   • The singulative of "cattle" is "a head of cattle".

Forms

Relateds

plural · mass noun · singular · dual · collective noun · paucal · trial

Translations (6)

cy ffurf unigolynnol (a singulative form or construction) · es singulativo (a singulative form or construction) · fr singulatif (a singulative form or construction) · br unanderenn (a singulative form or construction) · ru одино́чное (a singulative form or construction) · la nomen unitatis (a singulative form or construction)