singul

Singul is a theoretical term used in several disciplines to denote a minimal, indivisible unit within a system or concept. It emphasizes the identity and non-subdivisibility of a single instance, differentiating it from generic elements or components. The word is derived from the Latin singulus, meaning "single" or "one at a time."

In mathematics and physics, singul is often used to refer to a singular state or point. In mathematics, a singul may describe a location where a function fails to be analytic or differentiable, such as a singular point. In physics, it can denote a region where physical quantities become infinite or undefined, akin to a singularity.

In computing and data science, a singul can denote a single observation or atomic record that remains indivisible within a model or dataset. Algorithms that operate on singuls treat each unit as an irreducible unit of state, which can simplify certain forms of analysis but may also constrain granularity.

In theoretical models of complex systems, singuls provide a primitive unit for simulating interactions, such as in cellular automata or agent-based simulations where the state of each singul drives local rules.

Related concepts include singularity, singular point, unit, and indivisible, as well as notions of granularity and atomicity in data modeling.