Singularo

Singularo is a linguistic term used to denote the grammatical category of number that marks a single referent. It is a component of noun phrase morphology in many languages and may also influence agreement on adjectives, verbs, or determiners. The realization of singular varies across languages: it can be expressed through inflection on the noun itself, through agreement markers on adjectives and verbs, or through separate particles or determiners. In some languages, the singular is the default form and does not require a dedicated marker; in others, explicit singular markers are obligatory.

In description and typology, singularo is contrasted with plural and, in languages that have more than two number categories, with dual or paucal forms. The term is primarily used in linguistic descriptions, grammars, and typological surveys as a neutral label for the singular form, rather than a separate cultural or semantic concept.

English, French, Spanish, and many other Indo-European languages exhibit a range of strategies for signaling singular, typically via noun endings or determiners; other languages use numeral classifiers, agreement systems, or verb forms to convey number. The study of singularo helps linguists understand how number interacts with gender, case, and definiteness across languages.

See also: grammatical number, number (linguistics), plurality, noun phrase.