unitary

adjective

uni·​tary ˈyü-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce unitary (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to a unit
b
: based on or characterized by unity or units
2
: having the character of a unit : undivided, whole
unitarily adverb

Examples of unitary in a Sentence

the formation of a unitary state
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Trump administration has embraced an ideology called the unitary executive theory. Charlie Savage, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025 That vision is not new: it’s known as the unitary executive theory and has a long pedigree, dating back to the founding. Jeannie Suk Gersen, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2025 This is not a unitary polity, where the president decides for everyone, but 50 sovereign states that joined in union. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2025 On February 5, Gwynne Wilcox filed a lawsuit challenging her firing by Trump, setting up a vehicle the Supreme Court’s Republican majority could use to fully implement the unitary executive theory — and potentially give Trump full control over the Federal Reserve. Vox Staff, Vox, 7 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unitary

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of unitary was circa 1790

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Cite this Entry

“Unitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unitary. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

unitary

adjective
uni·​tary ˈyü-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce unitary (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to a unit
b
: based on or marked by unity or units
2
: having the character of a unit : whole

Legal Definition

unitary

adjective
uni·​tary ˈyü-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce unitary (audio)
1
: having the character of a single thing that is a constituent of a whole
specifically : of, relating to, or being a business with subsidiaries in other states or nations that has its state income tax figured by including the subsidiaries' income, determining the portion of that income attributable to activities within the state, and taxing that percentage
a unitary business operating throughout the U.S.
imposed a unitary tax on a multinational corporation
2
: marked by unity : not dual or segregated : integrated sense 3
a unitary school district
unitariness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unitary

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