standalone

Or stand-a·lone

[stand-uh-lohn]

adjective

1. complete unto itself; not being or understood as part of a set, system, or series; self-contained: The studio doubted that this story would find an audience as a stand-alone film.

   Our aerospace degree plan is a standalone program, and not a division of the mechanical engineering department.

   The studio doubted that this story would find an audience as a stand-alone film.

2. Computers.,  able to operate without other hardware or software.

   There are several standalone apps you can use to add live captioning to your videos.

noun

1. a single work that may be understood and appreciated without knowledge of other episodes, books, issues, etc..

   The author has taken a break from the series to put out two standalones just in time for the holidays.

2. Computers.,  a device or program that does not need other hardware or software to fully function.

   A decent VR rig for your PC won’t be any cheaper than a standalone.

Word History and Origins

Origin of standalone¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

It’s laced with a few ultramodern cuts as well: If the reggaeton bounce of the Nina Sky-sampling “Latina Foreva” felt slight as a standalone single, it takes new form on an album tracing just how a banger like that came to be.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

This includes the Part D drug coverage in many Medicare Advantage plans, as well as standalone Part D plans for people who choose traditional Medicare.

Read more on Science Daily

The legal battle comes after Vivendi at the end of 2024 completed a breakup of its core business into standalone entities.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In 1989, Hogg opened her first standalone boutique on Newburgh Street, just off Carnaby Street in London.

Read more on BBC

To win back customers, McDonald’s has launched a slew of value-meal combos and standalone deals that just may be bearing fruit — but didn’t for a long stretch.

Read more on MarketWatch