Thursday 23rd June 2016
Nonpareil
\ ˈnɒnpərəl; ˌnɒnpəˈreɪl/
Noun
1. a person or thing that is unsurpassed or unmatched; peerless example
2. (formerly) a size of printers' type equal to 6 point
3. (US) a small bead of coloured sugar used to decorate cakes, biscuits,etc
Quote
"He was as rascally a man as ever I met in my life," Grandfather said, "and as great
a genius in his own line. A virtuoso, a master, a nonpareil. Never shall I set eyes
on his like again."
...Samuel Hopkins Adams, "The Saga of Four-Skate Pilkington," Grandfather Stories 1955
Origin
Nonpareil is from the Middle French word of the same spelling, with pareil
meaning "equal." It appeared in Late Middle English as nonparaille.
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