unilingual

American  

[yoo-nuh-ling-gwuhl, -ling-gyoo-uhl] / ˌyu nəˈlɪŋ gwəl, -ˈlɪŋ gyu əl /

adjective

1. using only one language.

   a unilingual book.

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unilingual British  

/ ˌjuːnɪˈlɪŋɡwəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to only one language

2. knowing only one language

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noun

1. a person who knows only one language

Other Word Forms

• unilingualism noun

Etymology

Origin of unilingual

First recorded in 1865–70; uni- + lingual

Example Sentences

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has also criticized the CEO's conduct, saying he was "very disappointed, as others are, rightly so, in this unilingual message."

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized the airline CEO for lacking compassion and judgment in delivering an unilingual English message.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Wu's Chinese rendering was based primarily on various Catholic translations in French and English; the unilingual Generalissimo checked against his familiar Protestant versions, indicating his likes & dislikes.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Just tell the taxi driver Sank Roo Doe Noo," said Harry, and multitudes of parched, unilingual Americans followed his directions.

From Time Magazine Archive

But a large measure of success has not yet attended his efforts to reconstruct the original unilingual liturgies commonly written on one huge tablet of ten columns.

From Sumerian Liturgies and Psalms by Langdon, Stephen