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sui generis

adjective
sui ge·​ner·​is | \ ËŒsü-ˌī-ˈje-nÉ™-rÉ™s How to pronounce sui generis (audio) ; ËŒsü-Ä“-ˈje-, -ˈge- How to pronounce sui generis (audio) \

Definition of sui generis

: constituting a class alone : unique, peculiar
Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about sui generis

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Did You Know?

English contains many terms that ultimately trace back to the Latin forms gener- or "genus" (which are variously translated as "birth," "race," "kind," and "class"). Offspring of those roots include "general," "generate," "generous," "generic," "degenerate," and "gender." But "sui generis" is truly a one-of-a-kind "gener-" descendant that English speakers have used for singular things since the late 1600s. Its earliest uses were in scientific contexts, where it identified substances, principles, diseases, and even rocks that were unique or that seemed to be the only representative of their class or group. By the early 1900s, however, "sui generis" had expanded beyond solely scientific contexts, and it is now used more generally for anything that stands alone.

Examples of sui generis in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

 These recurring premises took shape as a series of aggressively odd books, each sui generis in its formal and compositional mechanics. — Paul Grimstad, The New Yorker, "The Absolute Originality of Georges Perec," 16 July 2019 Chamberlain, on the other hand, is sui generis, which is surely part of her appeal. — Taylor Lorenz, The Atlantic, "Emma Chamberlain and the Rise of the Relatable YouTuber," 3 July 2019 The troupe’s sui generis productions — skits, movement-rich vignettes and musical interludes, linked by retro motifs — are typically feats of comic whimsy, sometimes flecked with wistful lyricism. — Celia Wren, Washington Post, "Angst and comedy among the Olympians in ‘Pantheon’," 24 June 2019 But the New York Times is sui generis in American journalism. — Lionel Shriver, Harper's magazine, "Fifty-Fifty Follies," 10 June 2019 The entire league has benefited from their nous, and from the sui generis brilliance of Manchester City’s coach, Pep Guardiola. — 1843, "A league of their own: how English clubs conquered Europe," 7 June 2019 The monster says little, but the multiplying chatter tells its own story about the country where, certainly not for the last time, a sui generis American star has been born. — Julian Lucas, The New York Review of Books, "The Great Assimilationists," 21 Feb. 2019 But, in fact, sui generis city-states, even minicivilizations, often flourished in borderlands where superpowers met. — Melik Kaylan, WSJ, "‘The World Between Empires: Art and Identity in the Ancient Middle East’ Review: A Creative Explosion Where Superpowers Collide," 26 Mar. 2019 While his play always seems ready to careen into disarray, Sexton showcased a sui generis ability to somehow finish a play, either by himself at the rim or finding an open teammate. — Matthew Giles, chicagotribune.com, "Ranking the top 50 prospects in the 2018 NBA draft," 19 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sui generis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of sui generis

1694, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for sui generis

Latin, of its own kind

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More Definitions for sui generis

sui generis

adjective
How to pronounce sui generis (audio) How to pronounce sui generis (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of sui generis

formal : in a class or group of its own : not like anything else

See the full definition for sui generis in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sui generis

adjective
sui ge·​ner·​is | \ ˈsü-ˌī-ˈje-nÉ™-rÉ™s, ˈsü-Ä“- How to pronounce sui generis (audio) \

Legal Definition of sui generis

: constituting a class alone : unique or particular to itself the lawyer's…ad that makes no distinction among various legal and factual nuances in each sui generis case has the potential to mislead — National Law Journal

History and Etymology for sui generis

Latin, of its own kind

More from Merriam-Webster on sui generis

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sui generis

Nglish: Translation of sui generis for Spanish Speakers

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