Singleness
/ˈsɪŋ.ɡəl.nəs/noun
The state or quality of being single, alone, or unmarried.
Did you know?Singleness comes from the same deep root as Latin *singulus* and English *single*, ultimately tied to the idea of being one-by-one rather than divided, which is why so many “one” words across Europe carry a hidden sense of uniqueness and separateness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sm̥-
“one, single”
Proto-Italic
Italic
*singulos
“one each, individual”
Latin
Latin
singulus
“one by one, single”
Old French
Old French
single
“single, alone”
Middle English
English
singlenesse
“state of being single or unmarried”
Modern English
English
singleness
“the state or quality of being single”
Explore more surprising origins