unity

/ˈjuːnɪti/
state of being united

The team showed great unity during the competition.

The group worked together harmoniously as one.


formal

The state of being joined together or in harmony; oneness.

National unity is essential for a stable democracy.

A unified country requires shared values and cooperation.

The artist used color to create a sense of unity in the painting.

The consistent color palette made the artwork feel cohesive.

Often used in political, social, or artistic contexts to emphasize cohesion.

technical

A single unit or entity formed by combining separate parts.

In algebra, a unity is the multiplicative identity element (1).

The number 1 acts as the unity in multiplication operations.

In mathematics, unity specifically refers to the number 1, which leaves other numbers unchanged when multiplied.

Collocations

national unityharmony among a country's peoplefamily unityclose bonds within a familyunity of purposeshared goals among a groupbroken unityloss of harmony or cohesion

Related Phrases

unity in diversityphrase
harmony among people with different backgrounds
United we stand, divided we fallproverb
cooperation leads to strength, division leads to weakness

Pro Tip

Collocation Practice

Learn common collocations like 'national unity' or 'unity of purpose' to sound more natural. These combinations are frequently used in formal writing and speeches.

Gold Rule

Avoid Redundancy

Do not say 'a single unity'—'unity' already implies singularity. Use 'a sense of unity' instead.

Context Matters

In technical fields (e.g., mathematics), 'unity' has a specific meaning (the number 1). In general contexts, it refers to harmony or cohesion.

Word Origin

From Latin 'unitas' (oneness), derived from 'unus' (one). Entered English in the 14th century via Old French 'unité'.

Usage Notes

Commonly used in political speeches, organizational contexts, and artistic discussions. Avoid using as a verb (e.g., 'unify' is the correct verb form).

Word Breakdown

uni-
one
root
+
-ty
state or quality of
suffix
English Dictionary