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singlehood

singlehood

1 5.1
Not being married or having a romantic partner
  • noun
  • /ˈsɪŋɡlˌhʊd/
translation icon : soltería
  • Many young adults are enjoying singlehood as a time to focus on personal growth.
  • singlehood vs. marriage

Examples

  • Long before I toasted to love and prosperity at their wedding reception, I questioned why I had to withstand awkward dates, emotional break-ups, and the trials of singlehood before meeting my Prince Charming when these two had found true love in a high school classroom.

    Blog text (15)
  • It's the death rattle of my singlehood, right?

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Well, my attempts to spare Catherine the despair of singlehood have failed, so-

  • Joking also addressed an important local cultural opposition: a social universe separated by singlehood vs. marriage.

    Academic text (1993)
  • To him, single women in particular—and "extended singlehood"—lead to the kind of sin and debauchery that make Democrats.

    Blog text (25)
  • For some, singlehood offers the freedom to travel without worrying about a partner's preferences.

  • She relished her singlehood, finding joy in pursuing her hobbies without distractions.

Synonyms

singleness
vssinglehood
1 3.7

Not being married or in a romantic relationship

has identical meaning but uses the other noun form
nonmarriage
vssinglehood
7.1

The state of not having a husband or wife

includes being unmarried plus not being in a romantic relationship

Antonyms

1.0

Having a husband or wife

3.5

Two items joined together physically, like vehicles or parts used as a pair

Surface Forms

singlehood singular
singlehoods plural

Morphology

singlehood = single (transparent) = single + hood

The meaning is directly the state or condition expressed by 'single' with the noun-forming suffix '-hood', so learners can derive it from 'single'.

Etymology

Singlehood is made from single, meaning 'one' or 'not married', and the ending -hood, meaning 'state' or 'condition', the same -hood in childhood and adulthood. So singlehood means the 'state of being single', which is why it refers to life without a partner.