single
/ˈsɪŋɡəl/adjective, noun, verb
single is spelled S-I-N-G-L-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 257 times per million words in written English, the 373rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, single means “Not accompanied by anything else; one in number” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in single?
| Letters | 6: S-I-N-G-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 257 times per million words; the 373rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Sounds like | |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is single?
Single appears 257 times per million words in written English, the 373rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce single?
- UK /ˈsɪŋɡl̩/
- US /ˈsɪŋɡəl/
Single has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-single.ogg, En-au-single.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with single
Sounds like: cingle (Wiktionary's homophone list; some hold only in some accents).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
What rhymes with single?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as single from its last stressed vowel (/ɪŋɡəl/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of single
- singles plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- singling participle, present
- singled participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does single mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Not accompanied by anything else; one in number.
Can you give me a single reason not to leave right now?
- 2
Not divided in parts.
The potatoes left the spoon and landed in a single big lump on the plate.
- 3
Designed for the use of only one.
a single room
- 4
Performed by one person, or one on each side.
a single combat
- 5
Not married, and (in modern times) not dating or without a significant other.
Forms often ask if a person is single, married, divorced, or widowed. In this context, a person who is dating someone but who has never married puts "single".
- 6
Having only one rank or row of petals.
- 7
obsoleteSimple and honest; sincere, without deceit.
- 8
Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.
noun
- 1
A vinyl record with one song on side A and one on side B, usually 7 inches in diameter and played at 45 RPM.
- 2
A popular song released and sold (on any format) nominally on its own though usually having at least one extra track.
The Offspring released four singles from their most recent album.
- 3
One who is not married or does not have a romantic partner.
He went to the party, hoping to meet some friendly singles there.
- 4
A score of one run.
He refused to take a single as the ball was dropped by his opponent's best fielder.
- 5
A hit in baseball where the batter advances to first base.
- 6
A tile that has a different value (i.e. number of pips) at each end.
- 7
USinformalA bill valued at $1.
I don't have any singles, so you'll have to make change.
- 8
UKA one-way ticket.
verb
- 1
To get a hit that advances the batter exactly one base.
Pedro singled in the bottom of the eighth inning, which, if converted to a run, would put the team back into contention.
- 2
To thin out.
- 3
To take the irregular gait called singlefoot.
- 4
archaicTo sequester; to withdraw; to retire.
- 5
archaicTo take alone, or one by one; to single out.
- 6
To reduce (a railway) to single track.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate single?
Wiktionary records 4 abbreviations of single: SBF, SJF, SJM, s..
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Single in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | seul , célibataire , single, simple |
| German | einzeln, einzig, allein , einheitlich, vereint , Single |
| Portuguese | único, particular, solitário , inteiro, unitário , single |
| Spanish | solo, único, señero , soltero , sencillo , soltera |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does single come from?
From Middle English single, sengle, from Old French sengle, saingle, sangle, from Latin singulus, a diminutive derived from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one”). Akin to Latin simplex (“simple”). See simple, and compare singular.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).