I’m looking for a specific adjective for a product (meaning something created by a human and not naturally occurring) where there is only one unit ever produced.
Similar meaning to bespoke but that implies it was created for a specific purpose. The word I’m thinking of can be used for items that don’t serve a specific purpose; eg: an art piece.
By definition ‘unique’ fits, but in common usage it generally means unusual, and not specifically one-of-a-kind.
Sample sentence:
Company XYZ acquires, restores and trades a variety of rarefied collectibles, from classic vehicles and timepieces to artworks and _______ artefacts.
Example: Handwoven carpets where they couldn’t make another one exactly like it even if they tried. Or if Bugatti created a custom one-off car for a monarch.
For clarity: The word in question is not one-of-a-kind, one-off, bespoke, unique or one-of-one.
Note: This may be a loan word borrowed from another language, but generally accepted in English usage.
-EDIT-
With reference to comments below:
Agreed that this is not strictly a matter of language; rather, it is a matter of usage. So yes, any answer would be a matter of opinion. However, I don’t believe that equates to invalidating this query. Unique is academically correct, but considering this will be used in marketing material for the mass public, it’s important to consider the commonly understood meaning and connotation. For instance, using ‘one-of-a-kind’ leaves less room for ambiguity than ‘unique’.
one of a kind
With no equal; completely unique. This is a one of a kind opportunity—you have to take it! This design is one of a kind, as the artist only ever made one. Not many people have so much talent at such a young age. This kid is truly one of a kind.
See also: kind, of, one
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
one of a kind
see under of a kind.
See also: kind, of, one
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
one of a ˈkind
the only one like this: My father was one of a kind — I’ll never be like him.
See also: kind, of, one
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
- be one of a kind
- (that’s) easy for (one) to say
- That’s easy for you to say
- leave (one) hanging in midair
- of the same kind
- in kind
- Would you be so kind as to (do something)?
- kind of/sort of
- pay (one) back in kind
- kind
Словосочетания
one-of-a-kind job — единичная операция; одноразовый заказ
one-of-a-kind list — список определённой структуры
one-of-a-kind part — изделие, поставляемое по спецзаказу; деталь единичного производства
one-of-a-kind item — индивидуальный объект; единичное изделие
one-of-a-kind parts — детали единичного производства
one-of-a-kind design — специфическая конструкция
one-of-a-kind casting — уникальная отливка
one-of-a-kind workpiece — деталь единичного производства; единичная деталь
one-of-a-kind opportunity — уникальная возможность
one of a kind — единичный
of one kind or another — того или иного типа
the convertibility of one kind of energy into another — преобразуемость одного вида энергии в другой
Перевод по словам
one — один, номер один, один, кто-то, единственный, единица, одиночка
kind — вид, род, тип, разновидность, сорт, класс, добрый, любезный, хороший, сердечный
Примеры
Each plate is handpainted and one of a kind.
Каждая тарелка расписана вручную и уникальна.
I seem to pay away half my income on taxes of one kind or another.
Мне кажется, что половина моего дохода уходит на те или иные налоги.
No respectable dietician would advise people to eat just one kind of food.
Ни один уважающий себя врач-диетолог не стал бы советовать людям есть только один вид пищи.
His latest book has a lot of guff about conspiracies of one kind or another.
Его последняя книга содержит много болтовни о заговорах того или иного рода.
We seem to be in a crunch of one kind or another all the time. *
У нас все время напряженка. То то, то другое.
Примеры, отмеченные *, могут содержать сленг и разговорные фразы.
Примеры, ожидающие перевода
…the downtown area has a salmagundi of one-of-a-kind shops, where you can find almost anything you might need—and many things you don’t… 
Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.
Here is a list of English words that are often used to describe someone’s personality.
brave — someone who isn’t afraid of danger.
Example sentence: Mario is a coastguard. He is very brave. His job is to rescue people.
chatty — someone who talks a lot.
Example sentence: Maria is a very chatty person. She is always on the phone to friends.
clever — good at learning things.
Example sentence: Gerard is very clever. He always gets top marks in class.
cowardly — (mildly negative) someone who is afraid of things. (often described as «a bit of a coward»)
Example sentence: Sylvia is a bit of a coward. She really hates going to the dentist!
easy-going — someone who is easy to get along with.
Example sentence: My husband is very easy-going.
friendly — someone who is nice to other people.
Example sentence: The people in my office are really friendly! I love working there!
funny — used to describe someone who is amusing.
Example sentence: Salem is really funny! He’s always entertaining us with jokes and stories.
generous — someone who shares their time or things with others.
Example sentence: My parents are very generous. They bought me a car for my birthday!
grumpy — bad-tempered.
Example sentence: My boss is really grumpy. He isn’t an easy person to get along with.
hard-working — someone who works very hard.
Example sentence: My brother is very hard-working. He hardly ever takes a day off.
honest — someone who is truthful and who doesn’t cheat or steal.
Example sentence: Amina is a very honest. She always tells the truth.
kind — someone who behaves in a caring way towards other people.
Example sentence: Most of the people I’ve met here have been kind.
lazy — an inactive person who avoids work.
Example sentence: Pete is very lazy. He rarely gets out of bed before mid-afternoon.
loud — someone who talks really loudly.
Example sentence: Rosita is really loud! When she talks, she drowns everybody else out.
lucky — someone who often has good fortune.
Example sentence: My brother is very lucky. He’s always winning prizes in competitions.
mean — 1) Someone who is a nasty person. 2) Someone who doesn’t like spending money.
Example sentence: Phillip is very mean. He never pays for his share of things.
moody — adjective used to describe someone who behaves differently every time you meet them.
Example sentence: Nina is very moody. Yesterday she said hello; today she just ignored me.
nasty — a mean, unpleasant person. (the opposite of nice)
Example sentence: I don’t really know any nasty people. Most people I know are very nice.
neat — a person who is very tidy.
Example sentence: My flatmate Jorge is very neat and well organised. His room is always tidy.
nervous — someone who is easily startled by things.
nervous — someone who is easily startled by things.
Example sentence: Anna is a very nervous person. She gets scared easily.
nice — someone who is friendly and kind. (the opposite of nasty)
Example sentence: My best friend Lin is a really nice person. She is always there for me.
polite — someone who has good manners.
Example sentence: Abdullah is a very polite boy. He always says please and thank you.
popular — somebody who is liked by many people.
Example sentence: My cousin Ali is very popular. He has a lot of friends.
quiet — used to describe someone who doesn’t talk very much.
Example sentence: Helen is a quiet person. She isn’t very talkative.
rude — bad mannered, impolite.
Example sentence: James is a very rude person. He always pushes in front of people in queues.
selfish — used to describe someone who only thinks about themselves.
Example sentence: Jeremy is very selfish. He never helps out with the housework.
serious — someone who is always very sensible (the opposite of silly).
Example sentence: Eric is very serious person. He never joins in when we play silly games.
shy — quiet and a little bit nervous around other people.
Example sentence: Claire is very shy. She doesn’t speak much in class.
silly — someone who is a bit foolish, or who doesn’t behave in a serious way.
Example sentence: Gina is a bit silly. She messes about in class when she should be working.
smart — 1) someone who takes a lot of care over their appearance
Example sentence: Anna is very smart. She is always neatly dressed.
smart — 2) someone who is very clever
Example sentence: Chia is very smart. She is one of the most intelligent people I know.
stupid — (very negative and very impolite — sometimes used as an insult) someone who is not clever.
Be careful when using this word! Using neutral adjectives to describe people is much safer.
tidy — someone who is very neat and well organised.
Example sentence: My sister is a very tidy person. I’m the opposite; I’m really untidy!
unlucky — someone who often suffers from bad fortune.
Example sentence: Sabrina is very unlucky. Things always seem to go wrong for her.
untidy — someone who is very messy.
Example sentence: I’m a very messy person. I always forget to put things away!
vain — (negative) someone who is a bit too fond of their looks.
Example sentence: Paulina is really vain. She spends far too much time looking in the mirror!
wise — someone with a lot of common sense and knowledge.
Example sentence: My grandfather was a very wise man. He taught me many things.
Important note:
Take care using negative adjectives, as some people may be very offended if you use these words to describe them! In most situations it is much safer to use a neutral adjective if you can’t think of anything positive to say about someone.
“Thank you for your kind words” is a polite thing you can say in person or via email when someone has shown you kindness. It works well, but it can sometimes sound forced or insincere. This article will explore some good professional and conversational alternatives you can use.
The preferred synonyms are “I appreciate your kindness,” “thank you for saying that,” and “I’m glad you’re here for me.” These phrases work well in formal emails. You will also find that they extend to spoken English and can be used informally with your friends if need be.
1. I Appreciate Your Kindness
“I appreciate your kindness” is one of the simplest ways to accept someone’s kind words. It shows that you appreciate and value them. It works well in professional contexts because it shows that you’re able to keep a formal tone while accepting positivity and kindness.
- Dear Abe,
- I appreciate your kindness. I don’t know what I’d do without you here with me.
- My best,
- Craig
- Hey Martin,
- I appreciate your kindness. Thank you for checking in, and I’ll be sure to keep you in the loop going forward.
- Regards,
- George
- Dear Alex,
- I appreciate your kindness. You don’t know how much it means to me to receive an email like yours.
- Yours,
- Erik
2. Thank You For Saying That
“Thank you for saying that” is a great alternative you can use. It shows that you appreciate someone for the things they said, especially if they said something that you needed to hear.
- Dear Chris,
- Thank you for saying that. It means a lot to me that you were caring enough to send that message.
- My best,
- Nathan
- Hey Nicole,
- Thank you for saying that. I will let you know when I’m ready to come back to work after everything is settled.
- Regards,
- Thomas
- Dear Freya,
- Thank you for saying that. I don’t want to continue to be a burden moving forward.
- Yours,
- Evie
3. I’m Glad You’re Here For Me
“I’m glad you’re here for me” is another great phrase. This phrase is fairly personal, so you might find that it works best in informal emails or when you are emailing or messaging a friend or coworker you get along with.
- Dear Geoff,
- I’m glad you’re here for me. I’ll always be here to help you if you need me as well.
- My best,
- Jon
- Hey Paula,
- I’m glad you’re here for me. I’ll keep you updated when things are made a bit clearer.
- Regards,
- Stevie
- Dear Brian,
- I’m glad you’re here for me. I always knew that I would be able to count on you as one of my most faithful employees.
- Yours,
- Peter
4. I Appreciate Your Support
“I appreciate your support” is a simple phrase in formal emails. It works really well to show that you appreciate someone and all of the kind things they’ve said to help you through difficult situations.
- Dear Alicia,
- I appreciate your support. I’ll see if there’s anything I can do to help fix my situation.
- My best,
- Oxley
- Hey Mary,
- I appreciate your support. I won’t be able to help you any further until I know more about what’s happening.
- Regards,
- Mr. Peterson
- Dear Richard,
- I appreciate your support. You will be the first to know if things start to get a bit more positive for me.
- Yours,
- Adam
5. Your Support Means A Lot To Me
“Your support means a lot to me” is a great alternative you can use. It works well because it shows that you appreciate someone’s support. It’s a good formal choice that shows you do not take any person for granted at the workplace.
- Dear Carla,
- Your support means a lot to me. I don’t think you realize just how much I care about the people I work with.
- My best,
- Sue
- Hey Martina,
- Your support means a lot to me. I didn’t realize that my situation mattered this much to you.
- Regards,
- Ellie
- Dear Mr. Brooke,
- Your support means a lot to me. I’ll keep everyone updated when I have more information on this matter.
- Yours,
- Ms. Chacksfield
6. Thanks!
“Thanks!” can appear in emails or outside of emails. It’s a versatile one that you can use whenever someone has been kind or tried to help you with something. If you want it to appear more formal, you could always extend it to “thank you.”
- Dear Lewis
- Thanks! I wasn’t sure if anyone cared enough to email me about this!
- My best,
- Joe
- Hey Nicky,
- Thanks! I’m happy to hear that you’re on my side. I don’t know what I’d do without all of you!
- All the best,
- Yuri
- Dear Abdul,
- Thanks! I’m glad you wrote to me about this. I knew there would be someone who cared.
- Yours,
- Matt
7. Thank You For Having My Back
“Thank you for having my back” is a great choice, but it’s best in informal emails. “Having my back” is a phrasal verb that works best in colloquial English, so you need to account for this before including it in a formal email chain.
- Dear Ryan,
- Thank you for having my back. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to write about this just yet.
- My best,
- Harold
- Hey Scotty,
- Thank you for having my back. I am happy to share more information with you now, as you’ve reached out to me.
- Regards,
- Mr. Pickard
- Dear Alexandra,
- Thank you for having my back. Please don’t hesitate to ask if there’s anything I can do to return the favor.
- Yours,
- Vlad
8. I Appreciate What You’re Saying
“I appreciate what you’re saying” is a great formal synonym. It works really well in professional emails because it shows that you value and respect someone for helping you with “kind words.” Even if you don’t think they have helped, you can use this phrase.
- Dear Tom,
- I appreciate what you’re saying. I’m glad that I have someone like you to help me out of tricky situations like this.
- My best,
- James
- Hey Evangeline,
- I appreciate what you’re saying. I’ll do my best to get back to work sooner rather than later.
- Regards,
- Roger
- Dear Presley,
- I appreciate what you’re saying. I’ll see if there’s anything I can do to fix my problems.
- Yours,
- Liam
9. Your Kind Words Have Eased My Pain
“Your kind words have eased my pain” is a decent choice you can use in formal emails. Some people think it sounds a little jarring, but it works well if you’re struggling with something. If someone wrote to you to help you out, you could use this phrase.
- Dear Autumn,
- Your kind words have eased my pain. I didn’t realize how impactful an email like yours could be.
- My best,
- Steven
- Hey Travis,
- Your kind words have eased my pain. Thank you so much for sending me that message and checking in.
- Regards,
- Patrick
- Dear Al,
- Your kind words have eased my pain. I don’t think you realize just how powerful that email was.
- Yours,
- Sharon
10. Cheers!
“Cheers!” is a great choice, but it only works in informal English. You should use it when you are speaking informally to someone (i.e. a friend). It works well to accept their kind words without having to go overboard with what you say.
- Cheers! I always knew I could rely on you to cheer me up and pull me out of these awful situations! You’re a great friend.
- Cheers! I really appreciate you saying that. Of course, if there’s anything I can do to help you, you only need to ask!
- Cheers! You’re one of the best friends a guy could ask for! I’m so lucky that I have someone like you in my life.
11. You’re The Best!
“You’re the best!” is another great informal alternative. This one shows that you truly value the person who is helping you and sharing kind words with you. It’s a great one to use to show that you appreciate what someone has said or done.
- You’re the best! I really appreciate everything you’ve said and done for me right now. If there’s anything I can do for you, let me know.
- You’re the best. I don’t know how I got so lucky to get you in my life. I want you always to remember that I care.
- You’re the best. I knew I could rely on you to be so kind and thoughtful in a time like this. I was a bit lost before you came here.
12. I Knew I Could Count On You
“I knew I could count on you” is a great phrase you can use. It works well in colloquial English because it shows that you rely heavily on your friends, and they have done something that you didn’t expect of them (i.e. provided kind words to help you through something).
- I hope you know you’re amazing. I knew I could count on you. You always seem to know the exact right thing to say.
- I knew I could count on you. Thank you for coming over here and trying to cheer me up in the best ways!
- I knew I could count on you. I do appreciate all of the things you’ve said and done. I’d be lost without you.
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.