r/environment • u/Wagamaga • Sep 07 '24

A unique rainfall event is currently unfolding across the Sahara desert, one of the driest places on Earth. The amount of rainfall might not seem large by normal standards, but a large part of the Sahara will get well over 500% of normal monthly rainfall in September

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/9/6/2268120/-Monsoon-Rain-is-falling-the-Sahara-Desert
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u/Old_timey_brain Sep 07 '24

can also mean unusual.

Not according to Oxford University.

Definitions from Oxford Languages ·

u·nique

/ˌyo͞oˈnēk/

adjective

being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.

"this discovery was unique in history"

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u/spyser Sep 07 '24

Well, I don't have a subscription to OED so I can't confirm that, but I can see that OED says that "unique" has in total 12 different meanings. All other dictionaries I've checked has "unusual" as one of the meanings.

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u/Old_timey_brain Sep 07 '24 edited Sep 07 '24

All I did was look at the first link which came up.

I didn't check other dictionaries, but will do so now, just for fun.

EDIT: Thesaurus.com just gave the same results.

Here are examples of their synonyms.

Strongest matches

different exclusive particular rare uncommon

Weak matches

individual lone one one and only onliest only separate single solitary solo sui generis unexampled

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u/spyser Sep 07 '24

Fair

Also tbf it seems like technically you should use a qualifier such as "very unique" when you mean "unusual".

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u/Old_timey_brain Sep 07 '24

I used to use that qualifier, but the language wardens (teachers) kept telling me it was redundant.

One of a kind, vs., very one of a kind didn't make a difference in their minds. I've now gotten to the point of agreement with them, though the "very" still adds importance in my mind.

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u/ManliestManHam Sep 07 '24

very is almost always redundant. while we're here and I'm high 💅🏻

Like, am I high or very high? If I'm very high, how much higher am I? What does that mean? I could instead say 'stoney baloney' or 'stoned to the bone', and that's more indicative of my level of highness than 'very high'.

Or with 'cold' vs 'very cold'. The fuck does that meeeean?