Uniform Means One Form
A uniform is standard clothing for a group. The word simply means having one form, and it applies to anything consistent.
A uniform is the standard dress of a group, and as an adjective the word means unvarying. The Latin is transparent: *unus*, one, and *forma*, shape. Uniform thickness, uniform policy and a school uniform all mean the same thing — one form throughout.
- Standard clothing for a group. *School uniform.*
- Unvarying. *A uniform thickness.*
- Uniform — the letter U in the phonetic alphabet. *Uniform, Victor, Whisky.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | uniform | A nurse's uniform. |
| Plural | uniforms | New uniforms. |
| Adjective | uniform | Uniform standards. |
| Adverb | uniformly | Uniformly applied. |
| Noun | uniformity | Bureaucratic uniformity. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Uniform is compulsory at the school.British: uncountable in this use.
- Apply the paint in a uniform layer.The adjective.
- Uniform, Victor, Whisky.The NATO phonetic alphabet.
Uniform in different senses
- School uniform — common in Britain, rarer in much of Europe
- Dress uniform — formal ceremonial version
- Uniform distribution — in statistics, all outcomes equally likely
- Uniformity — sameness, sometimes a virtue and sometimes a complaint
- Out of uniform — in civilian clothes
From Latin *uniformis*, from *unus*, one, and *forma*, shape. The clothing sense is a later specialisation of a general adjective.
Is uniform countable?
Both. A uniform is one outfit; uniform without an article means the requirement or the concept, as in wearing uniform.
Why is U called Uniform in radio?
Because the NATO phonetic alphabet chose words that are distinct across languages and over poor connections. Uniform was selected for U.