ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sui

adj.
C2 Proficiency US //ˈsui// sui

adj. describing something that is the only one of its kind. It is a Latin phrase used to say that a person or thing is unique and cannot be compared to others.

adj. constituting a class of its own; unique or peculiar in character. Often follows a linking verb or is used as a postpositive modifier to emphasize that the subject lacks a direct equivalent.


SIMPLE

Her style of painting is truly sui generis.

CONTEXTUAL

The legal case was considered sui generis because it involved a set of circumstances never before seen in court.

COMPLEX

While many artists claim originality, his architectural designs are genuinely sui generis, defying any attempt to categorize them within existing modern or classical movements.

Usage

Almost exclusively used as part of the Latin phrase 'sui generis'. It typically follows the noun it modifies or appears after a linking verb like 'be'.

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