of a kind
Idioms-
Of some sort, but not a typical or perfect specimen. For example, They have a backyard of a kind, but it's tiny . This usage was first recorded in 1895. For a synonym, see of sorts .
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one of a kind . A unique instance, as in There are no others like it; this hybrid daylily is one of a kind , or She's extremely generous, one of a kind . Also see two of a kind .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the chips make use of a kind of superfast memory that has limited capacity, meaning that lots of racks would be needed.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026
BBC Guernsey executive producer Michelle Danielle said Randall was "one of a kind".
From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026
He’s one of a kind as another basketball season begins next week.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2025
And I think that was not just the beginning of loving baseball, but it was the beginning of a kind of reportorial curiosity: I want to know.
From Salon • Nov. 3, 2025
The second is of a kind that is always associated with the shotgun approach to nature: the spraying also eliminates a great many plants that were not its intended target.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
