My 5-year-old has unique dance moves with jumps and spins I’ve seen nowhere else. As a proud mother, I’ve been tempted to describe his breakdancing attempts as “very unique,” but the grammarian in me knows my child could not possibly be described as such. It reminds me of this saying, often attributed to anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Always remember that you are absolutely unique, just like everyone else.”
Grammar rules dictate that “very unique” is incorrect because “unique” is an absolute adjective — it either is or isn’t. Other absolute words include “perfect,” “empty,” “complete,” and “infinite.” Each of these words describes a distinct state. There is no “very infinite” or “very perfect.” If a thing is truly unique, then there is nothing else to compare it to.
Meanwhile, the adverb “very” is an intensifier, which strengthens whatever word it accompanies. Other intensifiers include “really,” “extremely,” and “particularly.” These adverbs don’t create a comparison as “more” or “less” do, but they suggest degrees of measurement. For example, compare an “important person” to a “very important person” — there’s a reason the VIP gets special treatment.
“Unique” is French, from the Latin unicus, meaning “only,” and it became part of the English language with the same meaning in the 17th century. But in modern usage, the word has evolved beyond the singular “only” to a broader meaning of “unusual” or “distinctive.” These are not absolute words. Something can be “very unusual” or “very distinctive,” but not “very one of a kind.”
However, because language is always evolving, “very unique” has become increasingly common in casual speech. This use reflects a shift in meaning where “unique” is not an absolute, but rather a sliding scale of distinctiveness. My son’s moves are certainly unequaled, but I’ll stick with grammar guidelines on this one and use alternatives such as “truly unique” or “extraordinarily different.”
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