Singleton
/ˈsɪŋ.ɡəl.tən/noun
A single person or thing; especially one that is alone in a set or group.
Did you know?Although it sounds like a deep ancient term, singleton is a relatively modern English formation built from the word single plus the suffix -ton, used for a person or thing belonging to a category of one.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
sengel
“alone, single”
Middle English
ME
singel
“single, one, not combined”
14th Century
English
single
“one only; not accompanied or joined”
16th Century
English
-ton
“a person or thing characterized by the base word, often in names or playful formations”
19th Century
English
singleton
“a single person or thing; one isolated item in a set”
Modern English
English
singleton
“a single person or thing, especially one in a pair or group”