unanimous
Americanadjective
-
of one mind; in complete agreement; agreed.
-
characterized by or showing complete agreement.
a unanimous vote.
adjective
-
in complete or absolute agreement
-
characterized by complete agreement
a unanimous decision
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unanimous
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin ūnanim(us), equivalent to ūn(us) “one” + animus “mind, heart, feeling” + -ous
Explanation
When a group or a decision is unanimous, it means that everyone is in total agreement. Just imagine if you let third graders vote on what to serve at lunch: Pizza and candy would be the unanimous choice! The adjective unanimous comes from the similar Latin word unanimus, which means “of one mind.” So when people think unanimously, they all have the same idea in their heads. A vote is unanimous when all voters are in agreement. Said Marcus Cicero, “Great is the power, great is the authority of a senate that is unanimous in its opinions.”
Vocabulary lists containing unanimous
List 1
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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Speak Your Mind: Anim
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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.
A jury of nine women and three men was this month unable to reach a unanimous decision, as required in criminal proceedings in the United States, leading to a mistrial.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
Von Glahn and his group of voters sued and won a unanimous decision from the Missouri Supreme Court on Sept. 3.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
A judge declared a mistrial in the case earlier this month after the jury said it could not reach a unanimous verdict on whether she was guilty of murder.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Treasury yields has shifted to the downside relative to current forward pricing, following the Federal Reserve’s unanimous 25-basis-point rate hike on Wednesday, SEB’s Jussi Hiljanen says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
In 1874, the US Supreme Court handed down a unanimous opinion upholding the lower court.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
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.
