singularity

American  

[sing-gyuh-lar-i-tee] / ˌsɪŋ gyəˈlær ɪ ti /

noun

PLURAL

singularities

1. the state, fact, or quality of being singular.

2. a singular, unusual, or unique quality; peculiarity.

3. Mathematics.  singular point.

4. Astronomy.  (in general relativity) the mathematical representation of a black hole.

5. Also called technological singularity.  Usually the singularity a hypothesized future era or event when exponential improvements in computer intelligence and advances in technology will result in an acute change in human society and evolution.

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singularity British  

/ ˌsɪŋɡjʊˈlærɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state, fact, or quality of being singular

2. something distinguishing a person or thing from others

3. something remarkable or unusual

4. maths

   1. a point at which a function is not differentiable although it is differentiable in a neighbourhood of that point See also pole 2

   2. another word for discontinuity

5. astronomy a hypothetical point in space-time at which matter is infinitely compressed to infinitesimal volume

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singularity Scientific  

/ sĭng′gyə-lăr′ĭ-tē /

1. A point of infinite density and infinitesimal volume, at which space and time become infinitely distorted according to the theory of General Relativity. According to the big bang theory, a gravitational singularity existed at the beginning of the universe. Singularities are also believed to exist at the center of black holes.

2. Mathematics  A point at which the derivative does not exist for a given function but every neighborhood of which contains points for which the derivative exists.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsingularity noun

Etymology

Origin of singularity

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English singularite, from Middle French singularité or Late Latin singulāritās (stem singulāritāt- ); singular, -ity

Example Sentences

That touch of quirky singularity is all but missing in Ashley’s generic production.

From Los Angeles Times

“The book we kept coming back to, the one that stood out from the other great novels, was ‘Flesh’ — because of its singularity.”

From Los Angeles Times

"What we particularly liked about Flesh was its singularity. It's just not like any other book," said author Roddy Doyle, who chaired the judging panel.

From BBC

But a great sovereign nation guards certain spaces as monuments to the country’s history and singularity.

From The Wall Street Journal

Son had grown obsessed with the singularity, the hypothetical moment where AI becomes smarter than humans and transforms civilization, and was dreaming up ideas such as building AI-powered robot factories across the world.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• particularity
• uniqueness