sui generis

American  

[soo-i ge-ne-ris, soo-ahy jen-er-is, soo-ee] / ˈsʊ ɪ ˈgɛ nɛ rɪs, ˈsu aɪ ˈdʒɛn ər ɪs, ˈsu i /

adjective

Latin.

1. of his, her, its, or their own kind; unique.

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sui generis British  

/ ˌsuːaɪ ˈdʒɛnərɪs /

adjective

1. unique

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sui generis Cultural  

1. A person or thing that is unique, in a class by itself: “She is an original artist; each of her paintings is sui generis.” From Latin, meaning “of its own kind.”

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Etymology

Origin of sui generis

Latin, literally: of its own kind

Example Sentences

Once considered the product of two distinct artists, “Boy With a Basket of Fruit” speaks to the intensity of Caravaggio’s spectacular, sui generis vision of what Italian naturalism would become in his hands.

From The Wall Street Journal

This is also something that has brought us together, for good or for bad, and that has a governance which has been almost sui generis and which is working.

From The Wall Street Journal

I don’t consider Klee—sui generis—to be a Surrealist, but “Fish Magic,” merging aquarium, children’s art, still life, cosmos and landscape, is the quintessential portrait of a dream.

From The Wall Street Journal

Mr. Richardson’s explication of these sui generis novels is astute and highly welcome.

From The Wall Street Journal

She thought of the sui generis Hixby’s guidebook, the fictitious Judge Quinzy, and the mysterious danger Miss Mortimer had warned her about.

From Literature

Related Words

• bizarre
• extraordinary
• fantastic
• miraculous
• new
• remarkable
• singular
• uncommon
• unheard-of
• unique
• unparalleled
• unrivaled
• unusual