one
one Lexical Profile
one Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Being a single unit or individual, rather than two or more.
"She only had one ticket left for the evening concert."
Referring to an unspecified time in the past or future.
"One morning last autumn, we woke up to find the garden covered in frost."
United or joined into a single whole; in complete agreement or harmony.
"The committee spoke with one voice on the urgent need for educational reform."
• noun
The lowest cardinal number, representing a single unit, or the numeral 1.
"Count from one to ten before opening your eyes."
American A one-dollar bill.
"He paid for the morning newspaper with three ones and some loose change."
• pronoun
Used to refer to a person or thing previously mentioned or easily identified, avoiding repetition of a countable noun.
"If you need a pen, there is a blue one on the desk."
A single person or thing out of a specific group or number.
"One of the students raised a thoughtful question during the lecture."
Any person in general, including the speaker or writer (used in formal statements).
"One must consider all the historical evidence before drawing a conclusion."
Word Nuance & Usage
The word 'one' is a homophone of 'won' (the past tense of 'win'). As an indefinite pronoun meaning 'any person,' 'one' belongs to a formal register and requires consistent agreement (e.g., 'One must do one's best'), whereas everyday speech typically favors 'you'.
• Rhymes for one
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'an', meaning 'one, single, or alone', which also gave rise to the indefinite article 'a/an' and the word 'only'. It derives from Proto-Germanic '*ainaz' and ultimately the Proto-Indo-European root '*oi-no-'.