Singleton - Definition, Meaning, and Examples in English

Definition

^{Context #1 | Noun}

programming

A design pattern that restricts the instantiation of a class to a single instance.

Synonyms

single instance pattern.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
singleton	Can also be used more generally to describe any single, unique instance of something, not just in programming or software design. In the context of physics, a singleton particle is one that has no duplicates in a given area. He was the singleton child in the classroom, as all other students had siblings.
single instance pattern	A more verbose way of referring to the singleton design pattern, often used in documentation or detailed discussions about software architecture. It emphasizes the idea that only one instance of a class should exist. The single instance pattern guarantees that only one logger instance will be used throughout the application. Using the single instance pattern, we can control configurations centrally.

Word

Description / Examples

singleton

Can also be used more generally to describe any single, unique instance of something, not just in programming or software design.

In the context of physics, a singleton particle is one that has no duplicates in a given area.
He was the singleton child in the classroom, as all other students had siblings.

single instance pattern

A more verbose way of referring to the singleton design pattern, often used in documentation or detailed discussions about software architecture. It emphasizes the idea that only one instance of a class should exist.

The single instance pattern guarantees that only one logger instance will be used throughout the application.
Using the single instance pattern, we can control configurations centrally.

Examples of usage

Using the singleton pattern ensures that a class has only one instance in a program.
The singleton pattern is commonly used in software development to control access to resources.

Interesting Facts

Mathematics

In set theory, a singleton is a set that contains exactly one element, like {5} or {apple}.
Singletons can simplify problems in mathematics by reducing the complexity of sets.

Computer Science

In programming, a singleton design pattern ensures a class has only one instance while providing a global access point to it.
Using a singleton can save memory and manage shared resources more effectively in software development.

Psychology

The concept of being a singleton can relate to feelings of loneliness or uniqueness, which can affect an individual's mental health.
Studies show that single individuals often develop unique social networks, which can provide support different from traditional family structures.

Pop Culture

In the board game Monopoly, players can become a singleton in a game by being the last person standing.
The term is often used in dating contexts, referring to individuals who are not currently in a romantic relationship.

Origin of 'singleton'

Main points about word origin

The word comes from 'single' and a suffix '-ton,' which means 'one' in many contexts.
It first appeared in the English language around the 1970s, mainly in the fields of computer science and mathematics.

The term 'singleton' originated from the concept of a singleton set in mathematics, which is a set with exactly one element. In software development, the singleton design pattern was first introduced by the 'Gang of Four' in their book 'Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software'. The pattern has since become a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming.

Singleton Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations