Unique
/juːˈniːk/noun
Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.
Did you know?It entered English through French from Latin *unicus*, and its root *uni-* is the same ancient “one” behind words like unicorn and unison.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*óynos
“one”
Latin
Latin
unus
“one”
Latin
Latin
unicus
“single, only, sole”
Old French
Old French
unique
“single, sole, only”
16th Century
English
unique
“single, sole, one of a kind”
Modern English
English
unique
“being the only one of its kind”