Singly is a common English word that can be used as an adverb or an adjective, meaning "individually," "one by one," or "separately." The word's spelling follows a simple phonetic pattern, with the stress falling on the first syllable /ˈsɪŋɡli/. The word begins with an unvoiced sibilant /s/ followed by a short vowel /ɪ/, and ends with a nasal /ŋ/, making it easy to pronounce once you understand the individual sounds that make it up. Whether written or spoken, singly is a straightforward and useful word for describing individual actions or qualities.
Singly is an adverb that primarily means "individually" or "separately." It refers to doing something or considering something one at a time, without any companions or in isolation. Additionally, it can emphasize the sole or exclusive involvement of a single person or thing in a particular action or situation.
When used in the context of actions or tasks, singly implies carrying out actions independently or one by one, without any assistance or collaboration. For example, a person might tackle a challenging project singly, taking personal responsibility for each step.
In terms of considerations or judgments, singly suggests evaluating or examining items or criteria individually, rather than collectively or as a whole. For instance, a committee might assess a list of candidates singly, examining each applicant's qualifications independently before reaching a decision.
Moreover, singly can underscore the exclusiveness or uniqueness of a single entity among others. This meaning is often associated with the phrase "the one and only." For instance, a record-breaking achievement can be referred to as the singly most impressive accomplishment in a particular field.
Overall, singly functions as an adverb that indicates actions or considerations carried out individually or separately, without companions or collaboration. It emphasizes the concept of "one at a time" and can highlight the unique or exclusive nature of a single person or thing in a given context.
Individually; only; by himself.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word singly derives from the Old English word singlian, which means to make one. It comes from the Proto-Germanic root *singilaz, which carries the sense of single. The word can further be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root *sem- or *sm- meaning one or alone. Over time, the word singly evolved in Middle English to its current form, retaining its fundamental meaning of individually or one by one.