English

Adjective

univocal ‎(not comparable)

1. Having only one possible meaning.
   • 1999, Karen Armstrong, The Case for God, Vintage 2010, p. 146:

     There were, he argued, some words, such as ‘fat’ or ‘exhausted’, that could not apply to God, but if such terms as ‘being’, ‘goodness’ or ‘wisdom’ were not univocal of God and creatures, ‘one could not naturally have any concept of God – which is false.’

2. Containing only one vowel.

   The palindrome "a man, a plan, a canal, Panama" contains only the vowel 'a', making it univocal.

3. Having unison of sound, as the octave has in music.
4. Having always the same drift or tenor; uniform; certain; regular.
   • 1890, Sir Thomas Browne, "The Works of Sir Thomas Browne - Volume I", George Bell and Sons, London, p. 258

     It is not indeed impossible, that from the sperm of a cock, hen, or other animal, being once in putrescence, either from incubation or otherwise, some generation may ensue; not univocal and of the same species, but some imperfect or monstrous production […]

5. Unequivocal; indubitable.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Jeremy Taylor to this entry?)

Synonyms

• definite
• monosemous
• unambiguous
• unequivocal

Antonyms

• ambiguous
• equivocal
• polysemous
• polysemic

Translations

Anagrams

• vacuolin