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Glite Dictionary
of a kind

of a kind

49 5.2
Similar to other things of the same type but not exactly the same
  • idiom
translation icon : único
  • This next performer who's coming out he's one of a kind, ladies.
  • one of a kind

Examples

Synonyms

unique
vsof a kind
∞ 3.5

The only one of its kind

often implies similarity to a general type rather than absolute singularity
one of a kind
vsof a kind
66 3.6

Only one thing or person like it exists

suggests likeness to a type rather than being the sole example
sui generis
vsof a kind
  • Formal
1 9.9

One of a kind and unlike anything else

focuses more on similarity to a type instead of creating a separate class
first and last of its kind
vsof a kind
8.5

A unique thing or event that will never happen again

can mean resemblance to a group rather than a single unrepeated event

Antonyms

different
∞ 1.0

Not the same as another person or thing

Surface Forms

of a kind positive

Morphology

of + a + kind

The meaning 'belonging to a particular type or showing similarity' is directly and transparently derived from the constituents: 'of' (expressing relation) + 'a kind' (a type). This compositional relation ("of a type") is cross-linguistically common and would be predictable to a B1 learner who knows the individual words.

Etymology

Of a kind comes from the simple idea of sorting things by kind, like putting similar objects into the same group. So, when something is of a kind, it belongs to the same 'type' or is 'similar' rather than exactly the same.