unity

American  

[yoo-ni-tee] / ˈyu nɪ ti /

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.

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unity British  

/ 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)

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Related Words

See union.

Other Word Forms

• nonunity noun
• self-unity noun
• superunity noun

Etymology

Origin of unity

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

Example Sentences

Supporters have long viewed that style as part of his appeal, while critics argue it undermines the significance of moments that would traditionally call for unity or restraint.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

The talks resulted in a national unity government for the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

"The strength of unity is my national power," Shah sang in the song, which has racked up nearly three million views since being released on social media and streaming sites on Thursday evening.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

The search for identity and community does give this sprawling, ruminative memoir a thematic unity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

After declaring his irreversible intention to retire, Washington devoted several paragraphs to the need for national unity.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

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