Unique in different languages

Unique in Different Languages

Discover 'Unique' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'unique' holds a special place in our vocabulary, signifying something that is one-of-a-kind, unparalleled, and distinct. Its significance extends beyond the realm of language, as it embodies the very essence of individuality and originality. Throughout history, unique ideas and creations have shaped cultures and civilizations, driving humanity forward in its quest for innovation and progress.

Given its importance, it's no wonder that people around the world seek to understand the translation of 'unique' in different languages. After all, language is the vehicle through which we express our thoughts, ideas, and experiences. By understanding the nuances of this word in various languages, we can deepen our appreciation for the richness and diversity of human culture.

For instance, in Spanish, 'unique' translates to 'único.' In French, it's 'unique.' And in German, it's 'einzigartig.' Each of these translations captures the essence of the word 'unique,' while also offering a glimpse into the distinct linguistic and cultural traditions of the people who speak these languages.

In the following list, you'll find the translations of the word 'unique' in over 30 languages. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, this list is sure to inspire and enlighten you.

Unique


Unique in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansuniek
The Afrikaans word "uniek" is derived from the Latin word "unicus", meaning "one of a kind".
Amharicልዩ
The Amharic word "ልዩ" can also refer to "separate" or "different".
Hausana musamman
The Hausa word "na musamman" has several meanings, including "one of its kind" and "unmatched."
Igbopụrụ iche
Malagasytsy manam-paharoa
Nyanja (Chichewa)wapadera
The Nyanja word 'wapadera' is thought to be derived from the Proto-Bantu root '-pad-' meaning 'to separate'.
Shonayakasarudzika
The word yakasarudzika is composed of two terms, yaka meaning 'one' and sarudzika meaning 'to pick', and thus denotes something picked out uniquely or specifically.
Somaligaar ah
The word "gaar ah" ("unique") in Somali also means "special," "particular," or "rare."
Sesothoikhethang
The word "ikhethang" was used in the past to distinguish individuals who owned herds of cattle and was later adopted into standard Sesotho where it means "unique" when talking about anything.
Swahilikipekee
Swahili's "kipekee" means "exceptional," a term originally describing rare, exotic goods traded by the Swahili elite.
Xhosaeyahlukileyo
Yorubaoto
The word "oto" in Yoruba can also mean "a person who is alone" or "a single thing"
Zuluehlukile
The word "ehlukile" can also mean "strange" or "unusual" in Zulu.
Bambarakelenpe
Ewetɔxɛ
Kinyarwandaidasanzwe
Lingalaya kokamwa
Lugandaeky'enjawulo
Sepedimoswananoši
Twi (Akan)soronko

Unique in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicفريد
The name Farid means "unique gem or pearl" in Arabic and is also associated with the idea of "excellence, distinction or superiority"
Hebrewייחודי
The term "ייחודי" (yichudi) is also used in Jewish mysticism to express a state of spiritual closeness or unity with God.
Pashtoځانګړی
The word "ځانګړی" in Pashto is derived from the Arabic word "خالص" and also means "pure."
Arabicفريد
The name Farid means "unique gem or pearl" in Arabic and is also associated with the idea of "excellence, distinction or superiority"

Unique in Western European Languages

Albanianunike
In Albanian, unike means 'unique', and also 'one of a kind', 'special', or 'rare'.
Basquebakarra
Bakarra also means “all” when used in plural form and in specific contexts.
Catalanúnic
Catalan "únic" and Spanish "único" both derive from the Latin word "ūnicus," meaning "single" or "one of a kind."
Croatianjedinstven
The word 'jedinstven' is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *edinъ, meaning 'one', and is also related to the words 'jedan' ('one') and 'jedinstvo' ('unity').
Danishenestående
In an archaic sense, the word "enestående" refers to something located separately and isolated.
Dutchuniek
In Dutch, the word "uniek" also means "odd" or "peculiar".
Englishunique
Unique originally meant "one of a kind", but now it often means "very special" or "exceptional".
Frenchunique
The French word "unique" originates from the Latin word "unicus", meaning "only one" or "single".
Frisianunyk
The Frisian word "unyk" is of uncertain etymology, but it may come from the same root as the Dutch word "eenig," meaning "alone."
Galicianúnico
In Galician, "único" can also mean "alone" or "solitary."}
Germaneinzigartig
The German word "einzigartig" derives from the Middle High German "einec" ("alone") and "artig" ("of the same kind"), and can also have the connotation of "incomparable."
Icelandiceinstök
"Einstök" also means "meanwhile", "for the moment", or even "until further notice".
Irishuathúil
"Uathúil," meaning "solitary" in Gaelic, can be traced back to the Old Celtic "*oita-solios" or "apart from all".
Italianunico
Unico's origin lies in the Latin word 'unus,' signifying 'one' or 'single,' extending its meaning to 'unique' or 'incomparable'.
Luxembourgisheenzegaarteg
The term 'eenzegaarteg' is not only unique in meaning but also in its spelling as it features the trigraph 'eez', which is only found in two other Luxembourgish words: 'eezelt' and 'eezent'.
Malteseuniku
The word "uniku" in Maltese is derived from the Latin word "unicus", meaning "one of a kind" or "single".
Norwegianunik
Norsk språk's "unik" is descended from the Medieval Latin word "unicus," meaning "single" or "only," and a cognate of English "unique."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)único
"Único" comes from the Latin word "unus," meaning "one," and also means "the only one of its kind" or "exceptional."
Scots Gaelicgun samhail
The Scots Gaelic word "gun samhail" also means "without parallel".
Spanishúnico
"Único" derives from the Latin word "unicus," meaning "one, single, individual," and also relates to "unique" in English.
Swedishunik
In Swedish, "unik" is derived from Latin "unicus" (sole, single, or only), and is unrelated to English "unique", which derives from French "unique" (single, or one of a kind).
Welshunigryw
In a toponymic sense, “unigryw” can mean the hill or mountain that stands alone as a separate entity on the landscape, not forming part of a continuous range.

Unique in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianунікальны
Bosnianjedinstven
The Slavic origin of 'jedinstven' ('единствен') suggests a root denoting 'unity' or 'oneness'.
Bulgarianединствен по рода си
In Bulgarian, the word "единствен по рода си" (unique) also means "the only one of its kind".
Czechunikátní
The word "unikátní" is derived from the Latin word "unicus," meaning "sole, one and only," or "singular."
Estonianainulaadne
The word "ainulaadne" is derived from the words "ainus" (only) and "laadne" (similar), and thus it means "one of a kind" or "matchless".
Finnishainutlaatuinen
The Finnish word "ainutlaatuinen" literally means "the only kind".
Hungarianegyedi
The word "egyedi" in Hungarian is derived from the phrase "egyed egyedi," meaning "only one of its kind."}
Latvianunikāls
The Latvian word "unikāls" is ultimately derived from the Latin "unicus" (meaning "single" or "one of a kind") and has been borrowed via German.
Lithuanianunikalus
The word "Unikalus" is derived from the Polish word "unikalny".
Macedonianуникатен
The word "уникатен" in Macedonian has a wider meaning than the English word "unique", also encompassing the ideas of "distinctive" and "rare".
Polishwyjątkowy
The word "wyjątkowy" can also mean "exceptional" or "extraordinary" in Polish.
Romanianunic
The Romanian word "unic" comes from the Latin word "unicus", meaning "single" or "one of a kind."
Russianуникальный
Russian "уникальный" initially meant "exceptional quality" rather than "one of a kind".
Serbianјединствен
The Serbian word "јединствен" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "единъ", meaning "one" or "only", and is related to the words "единство" (unity) and "јединка" (an individual).
Slovakjedinečný
The word "jedinečný" is derived from the Slavic root "jedin", meaning "one" or "single", and also shares a root with the word "jednota", meaning "unity" or "oneness".
Slovenianedinstven
"Edinstven" is a Slovenian word borrowed from Croatian that also has a meaning "unique or one-of-a-kind".
Ukrainianунікальний
The word "унікальний" in Ukrainian has a broader meaning than "unique" in English, encompassing "exclusive" and "rare."

Unique in South Asian Languages

Bengaliঅনন্য
The word "অনন্য" (anonno) is derived from the Sanskrit word "अनन्य" (ananya), which means "without another" or "incomparable."
Gujaratiઅનન્ય
Hindiअद्वितीय
The word "अद्वितीय" comes from Sanskrit and originally meant "having no second", but it can also be used to mean "matchless" or "unparalleled".
Kannadaಅನನ್ಯ
ಅನನ್ಯ originates from two Sanskrit words - 'an' meaning 'not' and 'anya' meaning 'other'.
Malayalamഅദ്വിതീയമാണ്
The word "അദ്വിതീയമാണ്" ('unique') literally means 'without a second one' or 'one of its kind' in Sanskrit and Malayalam.
Marathiअद्वितीय
The word "अद्वितीय" in Marathi shares its etymological roots with the Sanskrit word "अद्वितीय" meaning "without a second", ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₂ewi- " meaning "to divide".
Nepaliअद्वितीय
The word "अद्वितीय" also means "unmatched" or "incomparable" in Nepali.
Punjabiਅਨੌਖਾ
The word "ਅਨੌਖਾ" (anokha) is derived from Sanskrit and originally meant "new" or "strange."}
Sinhala (Sinhalese)අද්විතීය
"අද්විතීය" is derived from Sanskrit and means "without a second", "matchless", or "unequalled".
Tamilதனித்துவமான
Teluguఏకైక
The word "ఏకైక" can also mean "only one" or "one and only".
Urduانوکھا
The word "انوکھا" is derived from the Persian word "anokha", which means "different" or "unusual."

Unique in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)独特
In Japanese Kanji the character "独" can mean "alone", "solitude", a "bachelor" or an "individual", and "特" can mean "something special".
Chinese (Traditional)獨特
獨特 (dútè) is composed of 獨 (dú) meaning "alone" and 特 (tè) meaning "special".
Japaneseユニーク
The word "ユニーク" also means "outstanding" or "unusual" in Japanese.
Korean독특한
독특한 (dok-teuk-han) is a combination of the words 독 (dok), meaning "poison," and 특 (teuk), meaning "special" or "exclusive."
Mongolianөвөрмөц
Өвөрмөц derives from овөр (excess), meaning 'exceeding' or 'unusually much'.
Myanmar (Burmese)ထူးခြား
The root word "so" in "သီးခြား" means "to cut off" or "to separate", indicating something's distinct and separate nature.

Unique in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianunik
"Unik" comes from the Javanese word "un" (one) and the Malay word "ik" (different), so it literally means "different from the others".
Javaneseunik
In Javanese, the word "unik" also refers to a type of traditional dance that depicts the struggles of two birds or two people.
Khmerប្លែក
The word 'ប្លែក' in Khmer can be etymologically linked to the Sanskrit term 'vidhvak,' which refers to a learned person or a Brahmin.
Laoເປັນເອກະລັກ
Malayunik
The Malay word "unik" is commonly used for "unique", but can also mean "strange" or "odd."
Thaiไม่เหมือนใคร
The word 'ไม่เหมือนใคร' is composed of three Thai words: 'ไม่' (not), 'เหมือน' (like), and 'ใคร' (who).
Vietnameseđộc nhất
"Độc nhất" also means "poisonous" in Vietnamese.
Filipino (Tagalog)kakaiba

Unique in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniunikal
In Azerbaijani, the word "unikal" can also mean "unusual" or "distinctive".
Kazakhбірегей
The word "бірегей" originally meant "one-of-a-kind" or "singularity".
Kyrgyzуникалдуу
The word "уникалдуу" originally meant "unparalleled" or "beyond compare" in Old Turkic.
Tajikбеназир
The word "беназир" also means "matchless," "peerless," and "unparalleled" in Tajik.
Turkmenüýtgeşik
Uzbeknoyob
The word "noyob" is also used in the sense of "very", "really" or "very much" in Uzbek.
Uyghurئۆزگىچە

Unique in Pacific Languages

Hawaiiankū hoʻokahi
"Kū hoʻokahi" literally translates to "standing alone", highlighting its distinct and unparalleled nature.
Maoriahurei
The word "ahurei" can also mean "startled" or "surprised" in Māori.
Samoantulaga ese
The Samoan word, tulaga ese, can also refer to an object that is uncommon.
Tagalog (Filipino)natatangi
The Tagalog word "natatangi" originally referred to something that is exceptional, extraordinary, or outstanding, while its current usage as "unique" is a more recent development in the language.

Unique in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaramayaki
Guaraniipeteĩva

Unique in International Languages

Esperantounika
"Unika" has also been used to mean "one of many"
Latinunique
In Latin, "unique" means both "unique" and "each".

Unique in Others Languages

Greekμοναδικός
"Μοναδικός" is derived from the word "μονάς" (monas), meaning "one, single, alone".
Hmongtxawv
The word "txawv" in Hmong can also mean "different" or "special".
Kurdishyekane
The Kurdish word "yekane" (unique) shares its etymology with the Persian word "yekta" (one, unique), both originating from the Proto-Indo-European root *oino- ("one").
Turkishbenzersiz
The word "benzersiz" in Turkish not only means "unique," but also "incomparable," "unmatched," and "extraordinary."
Xhosaeyahlukileyo
Yiddishיינציק
Derived from Old High German “einzug,” meaning “one entry,” “singularity” or "single, alone."
Zuluehlukile
The word "ehlukile" can also mean "strange" or "unusual" in Zulu.
Assameseঅনন্য
Aymaramayaki
Bhojpuriखास
Dhivehiތަފާތު
Dogriअनोखा
Filipino (Tagalog)kakaiba
Guaraniipeteĩva
Ilocanonaidumduma
Krioin tu nɔ de
Kurdish (Sorani)بێهاوتا
Maithiliअपूर्व
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯇꯣꯞ ꯇꯣꯞꯄ
Mizodanglam
Oromoadda
Odia (Oriya)ଅନନ୍ୟ |
Quechuasapa
Sanskritअद्वितीयः
Tatarуникаль
Tigrinyaዝተፈለየ
Tsongaswo fana swoxe

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