unitary

adjective

uni·​tary ˈyü-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce unitary (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to a unit
b
: based on or characterized by unity or units
2
: having the character of a unit : undivided, whole
unitarily
ˌyü-nə-ˈter-ə-lē How to pronounce unitary (audio)
adverb

Examples of unitary in a Sentence

the formation of a unitary state
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Minsky was deliberately opposing the intuitive idea that somewhere in the brain there must be a unitary thinker—a captain of the ship. — Masud Husain, Time, 15 Apr. 2026 That clearly was not the case, even though, of course, several of the opinions tilted in favor of the strong unitary executive theory. — John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 1 July 2026 The Supreme Court has in recent years issued a series of decisions in line with the unitary-executive theory, many of which are about the president’s power to fire agency officials. — Mark Histed, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026 In the period that followed, a majority of party members pushed for a unitary leadership model, arguing that the existing arrangement hindered the party’s effectiveness. — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unitary

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of unitary was circa 1790

Rhymes for unitary

See All Rhymes for unitary

Browse Nearby Words

unitarity
unitary
unitary color
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Cite this Entry

“Unitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unitary. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unitary

adjective
uni·​tary ˈyü-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce unitary (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to a unit
b
: based on or marked by unity or units
2
: having the character of a unit : whole

Legal Definition

unitary

adjective
uni·​tary ˈyü-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce unitary (audio)
1
: having the character of a single thing that is a constituent of a whole
specifically : of, relating to, or being a business with subsidiaries in other states or nations that has its state income tax figured by including the subsidiaries' income, determining the portion of that income attributable to activities within the state, and taxing that percentage
a unitary business operating throughout the U.S.
imposed a unitary tax on a multinational corporation
2
: marked by unity : not dual or segregated : integrated sense 3
a unitary school district
unitariness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unitary

Nglish: Translation of unitary for Spanish Speakers

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