sui generis

adjective

ˌsü-ˌī-ˈje-nə-rəs How to pronounce sui generis (audio)
Definition of sui generisnext
as in only
being the one or ones of a class with no other members among history's greats Leonardo da Vinci is often considered sui generis—a man of such stupendous genius that the world may never see his like again

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sui generis That seems to be the essence of appreciating the sui generis charms of this place. — Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026 Lisa McGee broke through with a sui generis comedy that mined aspects of her own experience to find authentic humor in a harrowing situation. — Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026 Together, multi-instrumentalists Marc Riordan and Jon Leland craft a sui generis anachronism, hellbent on lovingly refracting the century-old sound through a contemporary prism. — Aly Eleanor, Pitchfork, 19 Feb. 2026 Her writing plays according to very strong internal rules—the aesthetic is really regulated and, in many ways, sui generis. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sui generis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sui generis
  1. only
  2. one
  3. lone
  4. special
Adjective
  • Thinking that writing code was the only bottleneck for deploying new software is like the Titanic seeing the tip of the iceberg and assuming there was nothing underneath it.
    — Brian Jenney, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Governors are responding the only way the current system allows.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of only
Adjective
  • Drinkwater didn't make one appearance in a Chelsea shirt last season, whilst Bakayoko spent the season in Italy on loan at AC Milan.
    — SI.com, SI.com, 3 Aug. 2019
  • Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive.
    — Johannes Himmelreich, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Mar. 2018
Definition of one
Adjective
  • Now in his 10th Heat season with his lone NBA franchise, Adebayo already tops the Heat’s all-time leader boards in defensive rebounds and double-doubles.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Overall, the team is 10-1 in the postseason, and the lone loss was by just one run.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of lone
Adjective
  • For something a bit more special, the hotel can arrange a sailing trip with a menu from the Janeiro Restaurant.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Grammy Award-winning artist Brandy, Emmy Award-winning writer-producer-actor Lena Waithe and Allen Media Group founder Byron Allen are three of the six special honorees who will be celebrated during the 2026 Ebony Power 100 Gala.
    — Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of special

Browse Nearby Words

suiciding
sui generis
suing
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Cite this Entry

“Sui generis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sui%20generis. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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