nonpareil

1 of 2

adjective

non·​pa·​reil ˌnän-pə-ˈrel 

: having no equal

Her performance was nonpareil.

Our baker's cakes are nonpareil.

a nonpareil drummer

nonpareil

2 of 2

noun

1

: an individual of unequaled excellence : paragon

2

a

: a small flat disk of chocolate covered with white sugar pellets

b

: sugar in small pellets of various colors

Did you know?

Trace nonpareil back to its Middle French origins and you'll find that it comes from a term meaning "not equal." Pareil itself comes from a Latin par, which means "equal," and non- is a common prefix meaning "not." In addition to its adjectival use, nonpareil also functions as a noun describing an individual of unequaled excellence ("the nonpareil of cellists"), and as the name of a chocolate candy disk covered with small sugar pellets.

Synonyms

Adjective

• incomparable
• inimitable
• matchless
• only
• peerless
• unequaled
• unequalled
• unexampled
• unmatched
• unparalleled
• unrivaled
• unrivalled
• unsurpassable
• unsurpassed

Noun

• beau ideal
• classic
• eidolon
• exemplar
• idea
• ideal
• model
• nonesuch
• paragon
• patron saint

Examples of nonpareil in a Sentence

Adjective

the nonpareil beauty of Helen of Troy

Noun

Elvis was the nonpareil of early American rock and roll.

among the knights of the Round Table, Galahad stood alone as the nonpareil of nobility and selflessness

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

His Roman classic dishes were nonpareil in a city that, oddly enough, had almost no Roman-style restaurants. —John Mariani, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Nodding to Billy Wilder’s nonpareil noir, Gilmour dresses the ensemble in black and white and nothing but (the clothes are, for the most part, casually hip streetwear, a style that doesn’t land as powerfully as the monochrome palette). —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024

Noun

Other times of year, try rainbow nonpareils or other colors that match the season. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Dec. 2024

Decorate with remaining 1 tablespoon strawberry powder and nonpareils. —Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English nounparalle, from Middle French nompareil, from non- + pareil equal, from Vulgar Latin *pariculus, from Latin par equal

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

nonpareil

1 of 2 adjective

non·​pa·​reil ˌnän-pə-ˈrel 

: having no equal : peerless

nonpareil

2 of 2 noun

1

: an individual of unequaled excellence : paragon

2

: painted bunting