single-aspect
|sin-gle-as-pect|
/ˌsɪŋɡəlˈæspekt/
one side / one facet
Etymology
'single-aspect' is a compound formed from 'single' and 'aspect'. 'single' ultimately originates from Latin, specifically the word 'singulus', where the root 'sing-' meant 'one (each)'; 'aspect' originates from Latin 'aspectus', from 'aspicere' ('ad-' meaning 'to' + 'specere' meaning 'to look').
'single' came into English via Old French from Latin 'singulus', and 'aspect' came into English via Old French/Latin from Latin 'aspectus'; the modern compound 'single-aspect' arose in Modern English by combining these two words to describe something with one aspect.
Initially the components meant 'one' (singulus) and 'appearance' or 'looking' (aspectus); over time the compound evolved to mean 'having a single aspect' or 'one-sided' in contemporary usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a condition or instance in which only one aspect is considered or present (i.e., a single-aspect approach or feature).
Relying on a single-aspect can distort our understanding of complex systems.
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Adjective 1
having or characterized by only one aspect, facet, or side; one-sided.
The analysis was criticized for being single-aspect and ignoring cultural factors.
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Last updated: 2026/01/13 18:21