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

Skillfully and compassionately told, “The Killing Stones” may have been conceived as a standalone, but there are enough revelations about Orcadian culture and these emotionally engaging detectives for readers to hope for another Perez and Reeves mystery, and soon.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The 12 proposed developments range from large-scale standalone new communities, to expansions of existing towns and regeneration schemes within cities.

Read more on BBC

The DV process is a standalone routine.

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RedZone is an add-on channel that costs $15 a month as a standalone or much more as part of a larger “Sunday Ticket” viewing package.

Read more on Slate

After releasing a series of standalone singles, he embarked on a 2025 summer tour playing European jazz festivals at Montreux and North Sea, and a North American tour bigger than his first.

Read more on Los Angeles Times