What does "univocal" mean?
A word having only one meaning.
Univocal
/juːnɪˈvoʊkəl/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A word having only one meaning.
- Grammar: univocal is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: unambiguous, absolute, apodictic, apparent.
- Useful contrasts: ambiguous, equivocal, polysemic.
- Usage evidence: There were, he argued, some words, such as ‘fat’ or ‘exhausted’, that could not apply to God, but if such terms as ‘being’, ‘goodness’ or ‘wisdom’ were not univocal of God and creatures, ‘one could not naturally have any concept of God – which is false.’
How to use "univocal"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "univocal" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "univocal" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "univocal" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "univocal" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "univocal" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "unambiguous" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "univocal", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A word having only one meaning.
- 2 A document containing instances of only one vowel.
"The univocal is by no means the preserve of the nineteenth century. Georges Perec's 1972 novella Les revenentes complemented his earlier lipogrammatic work by being a univocalic piece in which the letter e is the only vowel used."
Adjective
- 1 Having only one possible meaning. not-comparable
"There were, he argued, some words, such as ‘fat’ or ‘exhausted’, that could not apply to God, but if such terms as ‘being’, ‘goodness’ or ‘wisdom’ were not univocal of God and creatures, ‘one could not naturally have any concept of God – which is false.’"
- 2 Containing instances of only one vowel; univocalic. not-comparable
"Eunoia is a univocal lipogram — an anomalous narrative, in which each vowel appears by itself in its own chapter, telling a story in its own voice."
- 3 Having unison of sound, as the octave has in music. not-comparable
- 4 Having always the same drift or tenor; uniform; certain; regular. not-comparable
"But I am much pleased at the repetition of the divine favour to you in the like instances; that God hath given you another testimony of his love to your person, and care of your family ; it is an engagement to you of new degrees of duty, which you cannot but superadde to the former, because the principle is genuine and prolific, and all the emanations of grace are univocal and alike."
- 5 Unequivocal; indubitable. not-comparable
"There is no blessed soul goes to heaven but he makes a general joy in all the mansions where the saints do dwell, and in all the chapels where the angels sing ; and the joys of religion are not univocal, but productive of rare and accidental and preternatural pleasures ; for the music of holy hymns delights the ear and refreshes the spirit, and makes the very bones of the saints to rejoice."
Adjective
- 1 admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding; having only one meaning or interpretation and leading to only one conclusion wordnet
Example
"There were, he argued, some words, such as ‘fat’ or ‘exhausted’, that could not apply to God, but if such terms as ‘being’, ‘goodness’ or ‘wisdom’ were not univocal of God and creatures, ‘one could not naturally have any concept of God – which is false.’"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "univocal"?
Common synonyms include: unambiguous, absolute, apodictic, apparent, bound, certain.
How do you use "univocal" in a sentence?
There were, he argued, some words, such as ‘fat’ or ‘exhausted’, that could not apply to God, but if such terms as ‘being’, ‘goodness’ or ‘wisdom’ were not univocal of God and creatures, ‘one could not naturally have any concept of God – which is false.’
How do you pronounce "univocal"?
Pronounced /juːnɪˈvoʊkəl/.
Etymology
From Late Latin ūnivocus + -al. By surface analysis, uni- + vocal.