# single

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈsɪŋɡl̩/ · frequency rank #380

## Definitions
1. Not accompanied by anything else; one in number.
2. Not divided in parts.
3. Designed for the use of only one.
4. Performed by one person, or one on each side.
5. Not married, and (in modern times) not dating or without a significant other.
6. Having only one rank or row of petals.
7. Simple and honest; sincere, without deceit.
8. Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.
9. Simple; foolish; weak; silly.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **sings** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/single-vs-sings)
- **sizzle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/single-vs-sizzle)
- **singly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/single-vs-singly)
- **singles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/single-vs-singles)
- **spindle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/single-vs-spindle)
- **singlet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/single-vs-singlet)
- **swindle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/single-vs-swindle)
- **sing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-single)
- **sine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sine-vs-single)
- **since** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/since-vs-single)
- **Singh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/singh-vs-single)
- **siege** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/siege-vs-single)
- **simple** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/simple-vs-single)
- **singer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/singer-vs-single)
- **sickle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sickle-vs-single)
- **senile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-single)
- **shingle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shingle-vs-single)
- **shingles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shingles-vs-single)

## Common misspellings (9)
`isngle`, `signle`, `singel`, `singgle`, `singlle`, `sinlge`, `sinngle`, `snigle`, `ssingle`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/single