unique
C1Formal and informal
Definition
Meaning
being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.
1. Particularly remarkable, special, or unusual. 2. (Informal) Used to express a high degree of quality or distinctiveness, sometimes as a hyperbole.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Traditionally considered an absolute adjective (cannot be modified by 'more' or 'very'), but this rule is often broken in modern, informal usage (e.g., 'very unique'). This usage is contentious among prescriptivists.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or spelling. The traditional grammatical restriction (not using comparative/superlative forms) is more strictly adhered to in British formal writing than in American usage.
Connotations
Slightly stronger emphasis on 'one-of-a-kind' in British formal contexts; more readily used as a general intensifier ('that's so unique!') in American informal speech.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
unique to + NP (e.g., unique to this region)unique in + NP/V-ing (e.g., unique in its design)unique among + NP (e.g., unique among her peers)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Unique Selling Point/Proposition (USP)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Emphasizing competitive advantage: 'Our USP is our customer service.'
Academic
Describing a singular case, specimen, or phenomenon in research: 'The fossil represents a unique example of transitional anatomy.'
Everyday
Describing a special event, object, or personal quality: 'Her wedding dress was completely unique.'
Technical
In computing/databases: Referring to a field that contains only distinct values (e.g., a 'unique identifier' or 'UID').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Rare/Technical) 'The software uniques the dataset, removing all duplicates.'
American English
- (Rare/Technical) 'The system will unique the customer IDs.'
adverb
British English
- (Rare/Archaic) 'She dressed uniquelу, attracting many stares.'
American English
- (Rare/Archaic) 'The car was uniquelу modified.'
adjective
British English
- The village has a unique charm not found elsewhere.
- His fingerprint is unique, making it perfect evidence.
American English
- That artist has a really unique style.
- Each snowflake is supposed to be unique.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My mum says I am unique.
- This shell is unique. I found it!
- Everyone has a unique personality.
- The festival was a unique experience for me.
- The company's unique approach solved an old problem.
- His situation was unique, so standard advice didn't apply.
- The treaty is unique in that it imposes binding sanctions automatically.
- The researcher argued that the artefact was not utterly unique but part of a broader, yet poorly understood, tradition.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'YOU + NEEK' (you peek at something that is the only one). 'Only YOU can see this one-of-a-kind thing.'
Conceptual Metaphor
UNIQUENESS IS RARITY / UNIQUENESS IS A FINGERPRINT (something irreproducibly individual).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'unique' as 'уникальный' in contexts where it's used hyperbolically (e.g., 'a very unique shirt'). In Russian, 'уникальный' is a stronger, more absolute term. Use 'особенный', 'необычный', or 'оригинальный' for weaker senses.
Common Mistakes
- Using comparative/superlative forms in formal writing (e.g., 'more unique', 'most unique'). Using 'unique' to mean merely 'good' or 'interesting' without a true element of singularity.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'unique' in a way that is most acceptable in formal writing?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In formal writing, it is considered incorrect because 'unique' is an absolute term (something is either one-of-a-kind or not). In informal spoken English, 'very unique' is common and means 'very unusual or special'.
It stands for 'Unique Selling Point' or 'Unique Selling Proposition.' It's a business/marketing term for the feature that makes a product or service different from and better than the competition.
Typically yes, as it implies specialness and value. However, it can be neutral (e.g., 'a unique problem') or even negative if the singularity is undesirable (e.g., 'a unique vulnerability').
'Unique' strictly means 'the only one of its kind.' 'Special' means 'better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual.' Something unique is inherently special, but something special is not necessarily unique (e.g., a special birthday dinner).