Dictionary.com

nonpareil

[ non-puh-rel ]
/ ˌnɒn pəˈrɛl /
Save This Word!

adjective
having no equal; peerless.
noun
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.
Printing.
  1. a 6-point type.
  2. a slug occupying 6 points of space between lines.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Origin of nonpareil

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English nonparail(le), from Middle French nonpareil, “unrivalled, peerless,” equivalent to non- non- + pareil “equal,” from Vulgar Latin pariculus, Late Latin pāriculus, a diminutive adjective and noun formed from Latin pār (inflectional stem pāri- “equal, an equal”) + -culus diminutive suffix; see -cle1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use nonpareil in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nonpareil

nonpareil
/ (ˈnɒnpərəl, ˌnɒnpəˈreɪl) /

noun
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
adjective
having no match or equal; peerless

Word Origin for nonpareil

C15: from French, from non- + pareil same
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK