unitária

Unitária is the feminine form of unitário, an adjective in Portuguese derived from Latin unitarius, meaning relating to a single unit or to unity. It is used to describe concepts, people, or institutions associated with unity, singularity, or centralized organization, and it appears in various domains, including politics, theology, and science.

In political and administrative contexts, unitário is commonly linked to the expression estado unitário, which denotes a centralized state where sovereignty is concentrated in the national government and subnational entities lack constitutionally guaranteed powers. The term can also describe centralized administrative structures, policies, or units designed to promote uniformity.

In religious usage, unitário or unitários refers to adherents of Unitarianism, a liberal religious movement within the broader Unitarian-Universalist family. Unitarianism emphasizes the oneness of God and often the use of reason in belief, typically rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity. In Portuguese-speaking contexts, churches or congregations may be named Igreja Unitária or Igreja Unitária, and followers are referred to as unitários.

In science and mathematics, unitário appears in technical terms describing magnitude, identity, or special properties. Examples include vetor unitário (unit vector) and matriz unitária (unitary matrix), as well as other descriptors such as função unitária, depending on the field. The feminine form unitária agrees with feminine nouns in these technical phrases.