singularity

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Archived revision by Shāntián Tàiláng (talk | contribs) as of 16:34, 2 November 2019.
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See also: Singularity

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French singularité, from Late Latin singularitas (“singleness”), from Latin singularis (“single”). See singular.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˌsɪŋɡjəˈlæɹətɪ/
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Noun

singularity (countable and uncountable, plural singularities)

  1. the state of being singular, distinct, peculiar, uncommon or unusual
    • 1718, Joseph Addison, Remarks on several parts of Italy, &c. in the years 1701, 1702, 1703‎[1]:
      I took notice of this little figure for the singularity of the instrument.
    • (Can we date this quote?), Sir Walter Raleigh, The Marrow of Historie, Or, an Epitome of All Historical Passages from the Creation, to the End of the Last Macedonian War‎[2], published 1650:
      Pliny addeth this ſingularity to the Indian ſoil, that it is without weeds, that the second year the very falling down of the seeds yieldeth corn.
  2. a point where all parallel lines meet
  3. a point where a measured variable reaches unmeasurable or infinite value
  4. (mathematics) the value or range of values of a function for which a derivative does not exist
  5. (physics) a point or region in spacetime in which gravitational forces cause matter to have an infinite density; associated with black holes
  6. A proposed point in the technological future at which artificial intelligences become capable of augmenting and improving themselves, leading to an explosive growth in intelligence.
  7. (obsolete) Anything singular, rare, or curious.
  8. (obsolete) Possession of a particular or exclusive privilege, prerogative, or distinction.
    • 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie‎[3], book 2:
      St. Gregory, being himself a Bishop of Rome, and writing against the title of Universal Bishop, saith thus, "None of all my predecessors ever consented to use this ungodly title; no bishop of Rome ever took upon him this name of singularity."
    • 1659, Bishop John Pearson, An Exposition of the Creed‎[4]:
      Catholicism […] must be understood in opposition to the legal singularity of the Jewish nation.
  9. (obsolete) celibacy
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Jeremy Taylor to this entry?)

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

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Further reading

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