unilingualism

U1N1I1L1I1N1G2U1A1L1I1S1M3

noun

The condition of being able to speak only a single language.

Similar
monoglottismmonolingualism
OriginEnglish unilingual ← Latin linguāli ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

noununilingualism (uncountable)
  1. uncountablehuman sciencesThe condition of being able to speak only a single language.

    Synonyms: monoglottism, monolingualism

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe condition of being able to speak only a single language.

Similar
monoglottismmonolingualism
Also see
monoglottismmonolingualism

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ís?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁óynos
  3. Proto-Italic*oinos
  4. Old Latinoinos
  5. Latinūnus
  6. Latinūni-
  7. Englishuni-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s
  9. Proto-Italic*dn̥ɣwā
  10. Latindingua
  11. Latinlingua
  12. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  14. Latinlinguāli
  15. Englishlingual
  16. Englishunilingual
  17. Englishunilingualism

From unilingual + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

unilingualism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unilingualism

MLA

“unilingualism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unilingualism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unilingualism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unilingualism.

Source: unilingualism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.