sui generis

American  

[soo-i ge-ne-ris, soo-ahy jen-er-is, soo-ee] / ˈsʊ ɪ ˈgɛ nɛ rɪs, ˈsu aɪ ˈdʒɛn ər ɪs, ˈsu i /

adjective

Latin.

1. of his, her, its, or their own kind; unique.

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sui generis British  

/ ˌsuːaɪ ˈdʒɛnərɪs /

adjective

1. unique

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sui generis Cultural  

1. A person or thing that is unique, in a class by itself: “She is an original artist; each of her paintings is sui generis.” From Latin, meaning “of its own kind.”

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Etymology

Origin of sui generis

Latin, literally: of its own kind

Example Sentences

I don’t consider Klee—sui generis—to be a Surrealist, but “Fish Magic,” merging aquarium, children’s art, still life, cosmos and landscape, is the quintessential portrait of a dream.

From The Wall Street Journal

Mr. Richardson’s explication of these sui generis novels is astute and highly welcome.

From The Wall Street Journal

She thought of the sui generis Hixby’s guidebook, the fictitious Judge Quinzy, and the mysterious danger Miss Mortimer had warned her about.

From Literature

It made him singular, but perhaps unintentionally it makes him look less sui generis than lonely.

From Los Angeles Times

He was, however, an original, with a sui generis style both intense and charming.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bizarre
• extraordinary
• fantastic
• miraculous
• new
• remarkable
• singular
• uncommon
• unheard-of
• unique
• unparalleled
• unrivaled
• unusual