standalone

American  

[stand-uh-lohn] / ˈstænd əˌloʊn /

Or stand-alone

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.

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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.

Etymology

Origin of standalone

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

The explosion in data created by the increased use of AI is another reason why telecoms firms around the world are continuing to invest in so-called 5G Standalone mobile networks.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2024

Standalone savings plans could be easier and cheaper to implement, and could attract some of the most financially fragile workers who may not feel able to contribute to retirement, Bahl says.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 16, 2023

Standalone prosecutions for this crime are rare: According to an Urban Institute study, 3,695 people were investigated for violating the statute between 2000 and 2016, a rate of roughly 231 people a year.

From Slate • Sep. 15, 2023

Standalone streaming devices that you can plug into a TV or monitor are also planned, and it’s likely that we’ll see the Xbox Cloud Gaming resolution increased once Microsoft is ready with its TV plans.

From The Verge • Mar. 15, 2022

“The multi-country single vendor deal will see Nokia provide 5G RAN solutions from its comprehensive AirScale portfolio to all three markets and 5G Standalone core network to Serbia and Slovenia,” it said.

From Reuters • Aug. 23, 2021