non·pa·reil
ˌnän-pə-ˈrel 
: having no equal
Her performance was nonpareil.
Our baker's cakes are nonpareil.
a nonpareil drummer
1
: an individual of unequaled excellence : paragon
2
a
: a small flat disk of chocolate covered with white sugar pellets
b
: sugar in small pellets of various colors
Did you know?
Trace nonpareil back to its Middle French origins and you'll find that it comes from a term meaning "not equal." Pareil itself comes from a Latin par, which means "equal," and non- is a common prefix meaning "not." In addition to its adjectival use, nonpareil also functions as a noun describing an individual of unequaled excellence ("the nonpareil of cellists"), and as the name of a chocolate candy disk covered with small sugar pellets.
Synonyms
Examples of nonpareil in a Sentence
Adjective
the nonpareil beauty of Helen of Troy
Noun
Elvis was the nonpareil of early American rock and roll.
among the knights of the Round Table, Galahad stood alone as the nonpareil of nobility and selflessness
Recent Examples on the Web
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
That was nine days before Mays died Tuesday at 93, which set off a celebration of his nonpareil baseball career that culminated Thursday with a game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., the oldest professional ballyard in the country.
—Kevin B. Blackistone, Washington Post, 22 June 2024
Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2024
Hatching Chick Doughnut – a mini Original Glazed® Doughnut dipped in light yellow icing and white nonpareils, finished with chocolate and orange icing.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nonpareil 
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Adjective
Nodding to Billy Wilder’s nonpareil noir, Gilmour dresses the ensemble in black and white and nothing but (the clothes are, for the most part, casually hip streetwear, a style that doesn’t land as powerfully as the monochrome palette).
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
That was nine days before Mays died Tuesday at 93, which set off a celebration of his nonpareil baseball career that culminated Thursday with a game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., the oldest professional ballyard in the country.
—Kevin B. Blackistone, Washington Post, 22 June 2024
Noun
Decorate with remaining 1 tablespoon strawberry powder and nonpareils.
—Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2024
Hatching Chick Doughnut – a mini Original Glazed® Doughnut dipped in light yellow icing and white nonpareils, finished with chocolate and orange icing.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nonpareil
Dictionary Entries Near nonpareil
Cite this Entry
“Nonpareil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonpareil. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nonpareil
1 of 2 adjective
non·pa·reil
ˌnän-pə-ˈrel
: having no equal : peerless
nonpareil
2 of 2 noun1
: an individual of unequaled excellence : paragon
2
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