only

Meaning

Adj

1. Alone in a category.
2. Singularly superior; the best.
3. Without sibling; without a sibling of the same gender.
4. (obsolete) Mere.

Adv

1. Without others or anything further; exclusively.
2. No more than; just.
3. As recently as.
4. Emphasizing something that is just or necessary.
5. Used to express surprise or consternation at an action.
6. Introduces a disappointing or surprising outcome that renders futile something previously mentioned.
7. (obsolete) Above all others; particularly.

Conj

1. (informal) Under the condition that; but.
2. But; except.

Noun

An only child.

Hyphenated as

on‧ly

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈəʊn.li/

Etymology

From Middle English oonly, onli, onlych, onelich, anely, from Old English ānlīċ, ǣnlīċ (“like; similar; equal”), from Proto-Germanic *ainalīkaz, equivalent to one + -ly. Cognate with obsolete Dutch eenlijk, German ähnlich (“similar”), Old Norse álíkr, Swedish enlig (“unified”). Regarding the different phonological development of only and one, see the note in one.

Sentences

Only get me back to my husband and kids .

It would have been visible to me , had I only looked up as it passed .

This time , however , their top flight stay lasted only one season .

We were only half a mile from the destination when the engine packed in .

I'm City Editor in name only .

They're only made of rock crystal , and there are millions of rock crystals in the earth .

McCreary County is the only Kentucky county to not have a single incorporated city .

The flag of Nutopia has only one colour: white .