Singularity Trivia Quiz

Answer:

The noun singularity denotes something that is singular, or the quality or state of being singular. The latter adjective comes from the Latin word "singularis" (from "singulus", meaning one to each, one by one, separate) through Old French "singuler". Of all the definitions listed for singular in the online Merriam-Webster dictionary, the most frequent is probably the one employed in reference to grammatical number.

All the synonyms of singular that appear in this quiz refer to the non-scientific definitions of the word. An interesting detail is that most of these synonyms, like singular itself, can have either positive or negative connotations, determined by the context in which they are used. The Merriam-Webster list of synonyms (in the Thesaurus section) comprises four groups of words, reflecting the definitions of singular in the dictionary section, as well as the meanings in which "singularis" was originally used in Latin.

The first group features adjectives meaning "extraordinary" or "exceptional". Generally used to describe a positive trait, remarkable and outstanding suggest something that is distinguished or otherwise highly noticeable. Some of the words in this group are also included in other groups.

The second group, the one labeled "unusual", contains synonyms that may occasionally have a somewhat negative connotation. This is the case of weird, queer, eccentric and outlandish, frequently used to describe appearances, habits or events that stand out in a way that may be perceived as puzzling or even disturbing. Weird is also synonymous with uncanny, while queer is now mainly used in the context of gender identity or sexual orientation. With its literal meaning of "not having the Earth at its centre", eccentric implies that someone or something departs from what is conventional or expected. Outlandish, on the other hand, suggests something that is not just bizarre, but also foreign in nature. All these words (in particular weird and eccentric) are often used euphemistically to suggest mental instability.

The third group contains synonyms of singular that have the meaning of "individual" or "personal". Distinctive often indicates a distinguishing quality that is seen in a positive light, while peculiar (also included in the first two groups) may imply a distinctiveness so marked that it borders on strangeness.

The adjectives in the fourth group have the meaning of "only". Unique, which appears in all four groups of synonyms, literally means the only one of its kind (from the Latin "unum", one): however, in modern English it has also acquired the meaning of unusual or distinctive. Special is very similar in meaning to unique, often implying superiority or preference.

The five incorrect answers are all words listed in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as antonyms of some of the adjectives mentioned in the above paragraphs - suggesting something that is common, frequent or predictable.