I
| Pronunciation (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does I mean?
• I (noun)
The noun I has 3 senses:
1. a nonmetallic element belonging to the halogens; used especially in medicine and photography and in dyes; occurs naturally only in combination in small quantities (as in sea water or rocks)
2. the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
3. the 9th letter of the Roman alphabet
Familiarity information: I used as a noun is uncommon.
• I (adjective)
The adjective I has 1 sense:
1. used of a single unit or thing; not two or more
Familiarity information: I used as an adjective is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
• I (noun)
Meaning:
A nonmetallic element belonging to the halogens; used especially in medicine and photography and in dyes; occurs naturally only in combination in small quantities (as in sea water or rocks)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting substances
Synonyms:
iodine; iodin; I; atomic number 53
Hypernyms ("I" is a kind of...):
chemical element; element (any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter)
halogen (any of five related nonmetallic elements (fluorine or chlorine or bromine or iodine or astatine) that are all monovalent and readily form negative ions)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "I"):
iodine-131 (heavy radioactive isotope of iodine with a half-life of 8 days; used in a sodium salt to diagnose thyroid disease and to treat goiter)
iodine-125 (light radioactive isotope of iodine with a half-life of 60 days; used as a tracer in thyroid studies and as a treatment for hyperthyroidism)
Holonyms ("I" is a substance of...):
brine; saltwater; seawater (water containing salts)
Meaning:
The smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
Classified under:
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure
Synonyms:
one; ace; 1; I; single; unity
Context examples:
he has the one but will need a two and three to go with it / they had lunch at one
Hypernyms ("I" is a kind of...):
digit; figure (one of the elements that collectively form a system of numeration)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "I"):
monad; monas (a singular metaphysical entity from which material properties are said to derive)
singleton (a single object (as distinguished from a pair))
Meaning:
The 9th letter of the Roman alphabet
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
letter i; I
Hypernyms ("I" is a kind of...):
alphabetic character; letter; letter of the alphabet (the conventional characters of the alphabet used to represent speech)
Holonyms ("I" is a member of...):
Latin alphabet; Roman alphabet (the alphabet evolved by the ancient Romans which serves for writing most of the languages of western Europe)
• I (adjective)
Meaning:
Used of a single unit or thing; not two or more
Synonyms:
1; ane; i; one
Context example:
'ane' is Scottish
Similar:
cardinal (being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order)
