only
/ˈəʊn.li/ · on.ly
adjective
- Alone in a category He is the only doctor for miles.
- Singularly superior; the best She is the only one who can solve this puzzle.
- Without sibling; without a sibling of the same gender He is their only son, in fact, an only child.
adverb
- Without others or anything further; exclusively My heart is hers, and hers only.
- No more than; just If there were only one more ticket!
- As recently as He left only moments ago.
conjunction
- Under the condition that; but You're welcome to borrow my bicycle, only please take care of it.
- But; except I would enjoy running, only I have this broken leg.
Did you know? The phrase 'only child' is often used to describe individuals who have no siblings, but it can also refer to someone who is the only one of their kind or type, such as the only child of a particular species or the only one to achieve a certain feat.