uni

¹

[yoo-nee]

noun

Informal.

1. a uniformed police officer; uniform.

   A uni phoned in the burglary at 2:19 this morning.

2. British and Australian.,  university.

   Tony and Marc are both off to uni in two weeks.

uni-

²

1. a combining form occurring in loanwords from Latin (universe ), used, with the meaning “one,” in the formation of compound words (unicycle ).

uni-

¹

combining form

1. consisting of, relating to, or having only one

   unilateral

   unisexual

uni

²

/ ˈjuːnɪ /

noun

1. informal,  short for university

Word History and Origins

Origin of uni¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; by shortening

Origin of uni²

< Latin ūni- combining form of ūnus one; -i-

Word History and Origins

Origin of uni¹

from Latin ūnus one

Example Sentences

But for me, the start of the show is uni mentaiko rice — an umami bomb with truffled mayo, seaweed, tobiko and a healthy amount of uni.

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Skip the A5 Wagyu katsu sando and dive straight into the seafood: oysters topped with uni and Hokkaido scallop sashimi steal the show.

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Dolsot bibimbap, topped with uni, crispy rice, a mildly spicy sauce, and kimchi, paired beautifully with the bone-in rib eye grilled over live wood fire — a combination far more satisfying than mashed potatoes could ever be.

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One Michelin-starred Sushi Nakazawa might have a slightly dated interior, but the chef’s counter omakase — about 20 pieces of nigiri, including uni, snow crab and multiple cuts of tuna — certainly delivers.

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It’s an indulgent spread, with optional uni, gold-covered osetra caviar, A5 wagyu, and black truffle upgrades.

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When To Use

What does uni- mean?

Uni- is a combining form used like a prefix, meaning “one.”  Uni- appears in a wide variety of everyday and technical terms alike.Uni- comes from the Latin ūnus, meaning “one.” The Greek counterpart of uni- is mono-, as in monologue. Learn more at our Words That Use article on the form.