unity

[yoo-ni-tee]

noun

plural

unities 

1. the state of being one; oneness.

   Synonyms: individuality, singularity, singleness
   Antonyms: variety, diversity

2. a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.

3. the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification.

4. absence of diversity; unvaried or uniform character.

5. oneness of mind, feeling, etc., as among a number of persons; concord, harmony, or agreement.

   Synonyms: unison, concert

6. Mathematics.

   1. the number one; a quantity regarded as one.

   2. identity.

7. (in literature and art) a relation of all the parts or elements of a work constituting a harmonious whole and producing a single general effect.

8. one of the three principles of dramatic structure the three unities derived from Aristotelian aesthetics and formalized in the neoclassic canon in which a play is required to represent action as taking place in one day unity of time, as occurring within one place unity of place, and as having a single plot with a beginning, middle, and end unity of action.

unity

/ ˈjuːnɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being one; oneness

2. the act, state, or quality of forming a whole from separate parts

3. something whole or complete that is composed of separate parts

4. mutual agreement; harmony or concord

   the participants were no longer in unity

5. uniformity or constancy

   unity of purpose

6. maths

   1. the number or numeral one

   2. a quantity assuming the value of one

      the area of the triangle was regarded as unity

   3. the element of a set producing no change in a number following multiplication

7. the arrangement of the elements in a work of art in accordance with a single overall design or purpose

8. any one of the three principles of dramatic structure deriving from Aristotle's Poetics by which the action of a play should be limited to a single plot (unity of action), a single location (unity of place), and the events of a single day (unity of time)

Other Word Forms

• nonunity noun
• self-unity noun
• superunity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unity¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English unite, from Old French, from Latin ūnitās, from ūn(us) one + -itās -ity

Word History and Origins

Origin of unity¹

C13: from Old French unité, from Latin ūnitās, from ūnus one

Synonym Study

See union.

Example Sentences

"At all times, I called for unity... I did not think about myself, but about the more than 34 million Peruvians," she said in a video statement released after the impeachment vote.

Read more on Barron's

"At all times I have called for unity," she told Peruvians after being removed, adding: "In this context, I had not thought of myself but of the more than 34 million Peruvians who deserve better."

Read more on BBC

“If you want unity, say his name UV,” one poster said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There was a "strong sense of unity and momentum" as the company welcomed back staff, said global manufacturing director Luis Vara.

Read more on BBC

Imam Qari Asim, co-chairman of the British Muslim Network, said: "Whether it is Islamophobia, antisemitism or any form of bigotry, we must confront it together - with unity and courage, not silence."

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• agreement 
• consensus 
• harmony 
• identity 
• integrity 
• peace 
• solidarity 
• unanimity 
• unification