nonpareil
- having no equal; peerless.
- a person or thing having no equal.
- a small pellet of colored sugar for decorating candy, cake, and cookies.
- a flat, round, bite-sized piece of chocolate covered with this sugar.
- painted bunting.
- Printing.
- a 6-point type.
- a slug occupying 6 points of space between lines.
Origin of nonpareil
Synonyms for nonpareil
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comAntonyms for nonpareil
Examples from the Web for nonpareil
Contemporary Examples of nonpareil
This is a test of whether public television can support a show like this as it does its nonpareil documentary series, Frontline.
Historical Examples of nonpareil
The phœnix,” she sighed, “the paragon, the nonpareil of the buttery.
The Lady of Loyalty HouseJustin Huntly McCarthy
You know it; in that yallow building over by Nonpareil Square.
Frictional ElectricityMax Adeler
At that time there was a coach called the “Nonpareil,” running from Devonport to Bristol.
Hints on DrivingC. S. Ward
The “Nonpareil” was then taken off, and they started a coach called the “Tally Ho!”
Hints on DrivingC. S. Ward
Two nonpareil columns had to be filled, and I was getting along.
Roughing ItMark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
nonpareil
- a person or thing that is unsurpassed or unmatched; peerless example
- (formerly) a size of printers' type equal to 6 point
- US a small bead of coloured sugar used to decorate cakes, biscuits, etc
- mainly US a flat round piece of chocolate covered with this sugar
- having no match or equal; peerless
Word Origin for nonpareil
Word Origin and History for nonpareil
late 15c., "having no equal," from Middle French nonpareil "unequalled, peerless," from non- "not" (see non-) + pareil "equal." The noun meaning "an unequaled person or thing" is from 1590s; first applied to a kind of candy 1690s. As the name of a printing type (6 point size) it is attested from 1640s.