nonpareil

1 of 2

adjective

non·pa·reil ˌnän-pə-ˈrel

Synonyms of nonpareil next

: having no equal

Her performance was nonpareil.

Our baker's cakes are nonpareil.

a nonpareil drummer

nonpareil

2 of 2

noun

: an individual of unequaled excellence : paragon

: a small flat disk of chocolate covered with white sugar pellets

: sugar in small pellets of various colors

Did you know?

Trace nonpareil back to its Middle French origins and you'll find that it comes from a term meaning "not equal." Pareil itself comes from a Latin par, which means "equal," and non- is a common prefix meaning "not." In addition to its adjectival use, nonpareil also functions as a noun describing an individual of unequaled excellence ("the nonpareil of cellists"), and as the name of a chocolate candy disk covered with small sugar pellets.

Examples of nonpareil in a Sentence

Adjective the nonpareil beauty of Helen of Troy Noun Elvis was the nonpareil of early American rock and roll. among the knights of the Round Table, Galahad stood alone as the nonpareil of nobility and selflessness

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

That was nine days before Mays died Tuesday at 93, which set off a celebration of his nonpareil baseball career that culminated Thursday with a game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., the oldest professional ballyard in the country. —

Kevin B. Blackistone, Washington Post, 22 June 2024 From farmers markets to haircuts, the possibilities for special neighborhood retail and services are nonpareil. —

Bang Advertising Staff and Correspondents, The Mercury News, 12 June 2024

Noun

Decorate with remaining 1 tablespoon strawberry powder and nonpareils. —

Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2024 Hatching Chick Doughnut – a mini Original Glazed® Doughnut dipped in light yellow icing and white nonpareils, finished with chocolate and orange icing. —

Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nonpareil

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonpareil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English nounparalle, from Middle French nompareil, from non- + pareil equal, from Vulgar Latin *pariculus, from Latin par equal

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of nonpareil was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Nonpareil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonpareil. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.

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Kids Definition

nonpareil

1 of 2 adjective

non·pa·reil ˌnän-pə-ˈrel

: having no equal : peerless

nonpareil

2 of 2 noun

: an individual of unequaled excellence : paragon

: painted bunting

Last Updated: 1 Jul 2024 - Updated example sentences

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nonpareil

adjective

noun

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Synonyms

Examples of nonpareil in a Sentence

Word History

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Kids Definition