Etymograph

English

single-use

Bahuvrīhi compound of single + use.

A compound of single + use

Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one’

Latin singulus ‘one each’

Old French sengle

Middle English single

English single

Proto-Italic *oitōr ‘to use’

Latin ūtor

Latin ūsus ‘use’

Old French us ‘tradition or custom’

Middle English use

English use

The story

Bahuvrīhi compound of single + use.

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Today it means

adj Designed or intended to be used one time and then discarded or disposed of.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “single-use”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / single-use

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