singular

/ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/

//ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"singular" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“singular” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,610 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#10,610
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Being only one of a larger population; single, individual.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

singular vs singularly
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for singular
PropertyValue
Headwordsingular
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#10,610
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “singular” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). singular lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for singular is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,610 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for singular, with forms such as "isngular", "signular", and "singgular". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "singularly", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English singuler, from Old French, from Latin singulāris (“alone of its kind”), from Latin singulus (“single”). The correct English form is singular, spelled S-I-N-G-U-L-A-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Being only one of a larger population; single, individual.
  2. 2
    Being the only one of the kind; unique.
  3. 3
    Distinguished by superiority: peerless, unmatched, eminent, exceptional, extraordinary.
  4. 4
    Out of the ordinary; curious.
  5. 5
    Referring to only one thing or person.
  6. 6
    Having no inverse.
  7. 7
    Having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero.
  8. 8
    Not equal to its own cofinality.
  9. 9
    Each; individual.
  10. 10
    Engaged in by only one on a side; single.

Etymology

From Middle English singuler, from Old French, from Latin singulāris (“alone of its kind”), from Latin singulus (“single”).

This word in other languages

singular(Español)singulier(Français)einzeln(Deutsch)único(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: isngular,signular,singgular,singluar,singualr,singularr,singullar,singulra,sinngular,sinuglar,snigular,ssingular

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of singular - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

isngular2signular2singgular1singluar2singualr2singularr1singullar1singulra2
Edit distance from "singular"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "singular"?
"singular" is spelled S-I-N-G-U-L-A-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/.
What does "singular" mean?
As an adjective, "singular" means: Being only one of a larger population; single, individual.
What words are commonly confused with "singular"?
"singular" is commonly confused with "singularly". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "singular"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "singular" is /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "singular"?
From Middle English singuler, from Old French, from Latin singulāris (“alone of its kind”), from Latin singulus (“single”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “singular”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-I-N-G-U-L-A-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɪŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “singularly” - see the side-by-side comparison. singular vs singularly
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list