pojedynczy

Pojedynczy is a Polish adjective meaning “single, one, solitary” and is used to describe an item, occurrence, or unit that exists or happens as an isolated instance rather than as part of a pair, group, or sequence. The term appears in everyday language as well as in scientific, mathematical, and technical contexts to emphasize indivisibility or singularity.

Etymology: the word is formed from the root jeden (one) with the prefix po- and the adjectival suffix -czny, producing an adjective that conveys the notion of a single, individual unit.

Grammatical usage: like other Polish adjectives, pojedynczy agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case. Examples in the nominative singular include pojedynczy egzemplarz (masculine), pojedyncza kopia (feminine), and pojedyncze zdjęcie (neuter). In plural and other cases, the forms change accordingly.

Adverbial form: the corresponding adverb is pojedynczo, meaning “one by one” or “singly.” For example, pojedynczo wykonujemy zadania means we perform the tasks one at a time.

Contexts and nuance: in statistics, science, and everyday speech, pojedynczy describes a single instance or unit, such as pojedynczy pomiar or pojedynczy przypadek (a single case). It can also describe objects described as solitary or unique, e.g., pojedynczy atom or pojedynczy egzemplarz.

Synonyms and related terms: synonimy obejmują jednostkowy (unitary) i pojedynczy w sensie liczbowym; przeciwieństwa to podwójny lub wielokrotny, zależnie od kontekstu. Pojedynczy różni się od samotny, który koncentruje się na aspekcie towarzyskiego odosobnienia.