Unique means being the only one of its kind; very special; belonging to only one person or thing. It describes something that has no equal or equivalent anywhere else.
What Does Unique Mean?
Unique is an adjective with a precise and powerful meaning: there is only one of whatever it describes. Every person's fingerprints are unique. Every snowflake is unique. A one-of-a-kind painting is unique. The word conveys both singularity (only one exists) and, in everyday use, exceptional quality (so special it stands apart from everything else).
In formal and academic English, unique is treated as an absolute adjective — like dead, perfect, or infinite. Logically, something cannot be "a little bit unique" or "more unique than" something else: it either is the only one or it is not. However, in informal conversation and marketing language, intensifiers such as truly, completely, and even very appear before unique. Be aware of this distinction for writing tasks and examinations.
The everyday example sentence — Every learner has a unique journey — find the method that works best for you — illustrates the most common use: emphasising that each individual's experience is their own and unlike anyone else's.
Etymology: From French unique, from Latin unicus ("one, sole, alone of its kind"), from unus ("one"). Entered English in the early 17th century. The same Latin root unus gives us union, unite, universe, unicorn, and the prefix uni- (as in uniform, unicycle).
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & Usage note |
|---|---|
| Every person has a unique face. | A2 — simple attributive use; noun phrase |
| This café has a unique atmosphere that makes you feel at home. | B1 — predicative after linking verb; informal context |
| Each learner has a unique journey — find the method that works best for you. | B1 — motivational register; unique modifying journey |
| The ancient manuscripts offer a truly unique insight into daily life in medieval Britain. | B2 — academic/formal register; adverb intensifier + unique |
| Her ability to synthesise conflicting research into a coherent argument is unique to her discipline and has earned international recognition. | C1 — complex sentence; unique to + noun phrase; formal academic tone |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| unique opportunity | This is a unique opportunity to study with leading experts. |
| unique experience | Travelling alone gave her a unique experience she will never forget. |
| unique feature | The app's unique feature is its offline translation mode. |
| unique selling point (USP) | Low price is not a unique selling point — quality is. |
| unique perspective | Growing up bilingual gave him a unique perspective on language learning. |
| unique combination | The dish relies on a unique combination of spices from three continents. |
| truly unique | The discovery was described as truly unique in the history of archaeology. |
| unique to | This species of bird is unique to the rainforests of Madagascar. |
| unique identity | Every school should foster each pupil's unique identity. |
| unique approach | Her unique approach to teaching grammar made lessons memorable. |
Usage Notes
How to Use Unique Correctly
- Attributive position (before a noun): "a unique opportunity", "a unique voice" — the most common pattern.
- Predicative position (after a linking verb): "Her talent is unique." / "What makes this painting unique is its colour palette."
- Unique to + noun: Use this structure when something belongs exclusively to one person, place, or group: "This tradition is unique to the Scottish Highlands."
- Formal writing: Avoid degree modifiers: write "truly unique" or "genuinely unique" if you need emphasis, not "very unique" or "more unique".
- Informal / marketing English: Degree modifiers are widely accepted in everyday speech and advertising even if technically illogical.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
This is a very unique chance to learn.
This is a truly unique chance to learn. (unique is absolute — use truly or genuinely for emphasis)
Her style is more unique than her sister's.
Her style is entirely her own — unlike her sister's. (avoid comparative forms of unique in formal contexts)
This custom is unique of this region.
This custom is unique to this region. (always use unique to, not unique of)