one

SayWUNUS · UK/wʌn//wɐn/

Noun pluralones

31 meanings of one

1
quantity of 1determiner
Just a single thing, not two or more.
We have just one bathroom, so mornings are busy in our house.
I have one brother and two sisters.
UsageSay one when the number matters: only one ticket.
Oppositemany, several, multiple, numerous
2
from a grouppronoun
A single person or thing from a group, as in one of my friends.
One of my friends lives right next to the school.
Every one of these apples has a little bruise on it.
UsageSay one of my friends (not ~~incorrect: one of my friend~~).
Note
3
instead of repeatingnouncountable
Used instead of repeating a word for a person or thing, as in the red one or the quiet one.
That bus almost hit us. That was a close one!
At the end of the game, she hit one right over the fence, and the whole team cheered.
UsageFor more than one, say ones: the blue ones.
Note
4
numeral
The number 1, the first number when you count.
Can you count from one to ten?
My little brother turns one next week.
UsageSay one hour but one and a half hours.
Note
5
adjective
Some, or a certain, when you do not say which: one day, one shop in town.
Come and visit us one weekend this summer.
We'll meet again one day.
UsageOne day can mean a time in the past or in the future.
6
any personpronoun
Any person or people in general, used as a more formal way of saying 'you'.
One should not judge too quickly.
One can't always get what one wants.
UsageIn everyday talk, people say you: you never know.
Similaryou
Note
7
pronoun
Any person or thing, used when explaining or describing what someone is.
A swimmer is one who swims, for fun or in races.
A listener is one who listens.
UsagePeople often say someone who instead.
Similarsomeone, somebody
8
numeral
The number used to name the first thing in a list, as in page one or lane one.
Please open your books and turn to page one.
The fastest runner was in lane one.
UsageSay page one or the first page.
Note

Less common meanings

9
perfect matchnouncolloquial
The right person or thing for you, the special one.
She met lots of people, but she always said Sam was the one.
After seeing twenty apartments, we finally found the one.
UsageSay she's the one about a perfect partner.
10
o'clocknoununcountable
The hour of one o'clock, in the day or at night.
The baby woke up crying at one in the morning.
Let's meet at one for lunch.
UsageSay at one or at one o'clock.
Note
11
determiner
Used to say that something is a very strong or striking example.
That was one delicious meal. I'd go back there tomorrow.
That was one great game.
UsageSay That's one big dog! to mean very big.
Note
12
jokenouncountable
A joke or funny story, usually in the phrase 'the one about'.
Did you hear the one about the talking dog?
He told the one about the vicar and the bishop again.
UsageSay Have you heard the one about ... to start a joke.
Similarjoke
Note
13
drinknouncountable
A drink with alcohol in it, most often a beer.
Want to come over and have one on the porch after work?
Fancy a cold one?
UsageSay a quick one for a quick drink.
Similardrink
Note
14
dollar billnounUScountable
In the US, a one-dollar bill, a single dollar in paper money.
The vending machine only takes ones, so I need to break a twenty.
He tipped with a one and a handful of coins.
UsageSay a one (not ~~incorrect: an one~~).
Similarsingle
Note
15
unitedadjective
Joined together as a single whole, or agreeing completely.
After the long war, the country was one again.
The two villages have grown into one.
UsageAs one means all together.
Similarunited, unified
Oppositedivided
16
soleadjective
The only person or thing of its kind.
She was the one person in the office who knew the password.
This is the one road into the valley.
UsageSay my one wish for my only wish.
Similaronly, sole, single
17
digitnouncountable
The written figure 1, as a mark on paper or a screen.
Write a one, then two zeros.
Computers store everything as zeros and ones.
Note
18
identicaladjective
The same thing or kind, not two different ones.
The two types look different, but they are one species.
Ice and steam are really one thing, just water in different forms.
UsageSay one and the same for the same person or thing.
Similaridentical
Oppositedistinct, separate
19
before a namedeterminer
Used before a name to mean a certain person you know nothing else about.
The records show the arrest of one A. Lincoln.
The house was sold to one Mrs. Gray.
UsageMostly in formal writing, such as old records or reports.
Note
20
fond ofnouncountable
A person who likes or tends to do something, used with 'for'.
My dad was never one for big parties. He prefers quiet nights.
She was always one for a bargain.
UsageSay I'm not one for parties when you do not like them.
Similartype, sort
Note
21
addressing a personnounendearingironic
Put after a describing word when you speak directly to someone.
Hey, sleepy one, time to get up.
Oh, most merciful one, hear me.
UsageSay little one to a small child.
Note
22
gay mannounderogatorydatedeuphemisticcountable
An old, unkind, indirect word for a gay person.
My grandmother still says a man is one when she means he is gay.
People whispered that he was one, because he never married and lived with a male friend.
Note
23
verbrare
To join into a single whole, to unite.
And both shall be oned in eternal happiness.
2000, Carolyn Baker, The Journey of Forgiveness: Fulfilling the Healing ProcessHere, oned means joined together as one.
24
noun
In math, the number that leaves others unchanged when you multiply by it.
25
noun
In cricket, one run, scored by running once between the wickets.
26
noun
A time of having sex.
27
particleManglishSinglish
A word put last in a sentence to stress what a thing or person is like.
28
particleManglishSinglish
A word put last in a sentence to stress who made or did something.
29
particleManglishSinglish
A word ending a sentence, in Singapore and Malaysian English, to say something tends to happen.
30
particleManglishSinglish
A word that makes a phrase work like a noun.
31
pronounrareManglishSinglish
A word placed after a describing clause, doing the job of "who" or "that."

Practice

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Origin

This comes from Old English "ān," meaning "one," which goes back to an ancient Proto-Indo-European root meaning "single, one."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

English one descends from Old English ān, meaning one. en.wiktionary.org
Its ancestry goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos, meaning single, one. en.wiktionary.org