unitary
[
yoo
-ni-ter-ee]
/ˈyu nɪˌtɛr i/
adjective
1.
of or pertaining to a
unit
or
units
.
2.
of, pertaining to, characterized by, or aiming toward
unity
:
the unitary principles of nationalism.
3.
of the nature of a
unit
; having the indivisible character of a
unit
; whole.
4.
serving as a
unit
, as of measurement or estimation.
5.
of or pertaining to the use of
units
:
A unitary method was applied.
6.
Government.
of or pertaining to a system of government in which the executive, legislative, and judicial powers of each state in a body of states are vested in a central authority.
Origin
1810-20;
unit
,
unit(y)
+
-ary
Related forms
unitariness,
noun
Examples from the web for
unitary
If anything, it's sort of counterintuitive that the
unitary
family has persisted so long and pervasively in our society.
Some comments imply there is a
unitary
state, homogenous in all respects.
While every
unitary
operator is an isometry, not every isometry is
unitary
.
The present state of the universe is related to the state the early universe was in via a
unitary
transformation.
British Dictionary definitions for
unitary
unitary
/
ˈjuːnɪtərɪ;
-trɪ
/
adjective
1.
of a unit or units
2.
based on or characterized by unity
3.
individual; whole
4.
of or relating to a system of government in which all governing authority is held by the central government
Compare
federal
Word Origin and History for
unitary
adj.
1816; see
unit
+
-ary
.