English

one-off

Occurring once, independent of any pattern; one-time.

    Etymology graph

    • inherited
    • borrowed
    • derived
    • parts
    • meaning component
    • sound component
    • related
    React Flow

    Click a node to zoom in · double-click to open it

    Origin

    From one + off. Probably from foundry work, in which molds are expensive and generally made to be reusable.

    A term long used by artists who are printmakers and sculptors to indicate a unique print or casting. If using traditional edition numbering, a one-off would be a "1/1", which is said, "one of one" meaning the first print in an edition of one.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • partEnglishone “The number represented by the Arabic numeral 1; the numerical value equal to that cardinal number.”
      • inheritedMiddle Englishon
        • inheritedOld Englishon “in”
        • inheritedOld Englishān “one”
      • derivedEnglishA “The first letter of the English alphabet, called a and written in the Latin script.”
        • derivedMiddle Englishand
        • derivedEnglishthe “...because it has already been mentioned, is to be completely specified in the same sentence, or ve…”
      • semantic loanMandarin的
    • partEnglishoff “In a direction away from the speaker or other reference point.”
      • inheritedMiddle Englishof
        • inheritedOld Englishof

    Sources