Nonpareil

One of five pedagogical languages based on Markov algorithms, used in ["Nonpareil, a Machine Level Machine Independent Language for the Study of Semantics", B. Higman, ULICS Intl Report No ICSI 170, U London (1968)]. The others were Brilliant, Diamond, Pearl and Ruby.

Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)
 

Nonpareil \Non`pa*reil"\, a. [F., from non not + pareil equal, fr. LL. pariculus, dim. of L. par equal. See Non, and Pair, Peer.]

Having no equal; peerless. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Nonpareil \Non`pa*reil"\, n. [See Nonpareil, a. ]

1. Something of unequaled excellence; a peerless thing or person; a nonesuch; -- often used as a name. [1913 Webster]

2. [F. nonpareille.]

(Print.) A size of type next smaller than minion and next larger than agate (or ruby). [1913 Webster]

Note: This line is printed in the type called nonpareil. [1913 Webster]

3. (Zool.)
   (a) A beautifully colored finch (Passerina ciris), native of the Southern United States. The male has the head and neck deep blue, rump and under parts bright red, back and wings golden green, and the tail bluish purple. Called also painted bunting and painted finch.
   (b) Any other similar bird of the same genus. [1913 Webster +PJC]

4. (Cookery) A small sphere, less than 1 mm diamter, of colored sugar, used to decorate confections; -- usually used in the plural as though the name of a substance; as, sprinkled with nonpareils. [PJC]

5. pl. A type of candy chocolate consisting of a small flat disk of chocolate, less than one inch diameter, having nonpareils[4] sprinkled on the top; as, she ate a box of nonpareils at the movie. [PJC]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

60 Moby Thesaurus words for "nonpareil": A per se, ace, beau ideal, boss, champion, chief, choice, chosen, commander, cream, dean, elect, elite, exemplar, fat, flower, fugleman, genius, good example, head, higher-up, ideal, jewel, laureate, leader, man of men, master, mirror, model, ne plus ultra, nonesuch, optimum, paragon, pattern, phoenix, pick, prime, principal, prize, prodigy, queen, quintessence, ruler, select, senior, shining example, standard, star, superior, superlative, superman, superstar, the best, the best ever, the greatest, the most, the tops, the very best, top dog, virtuoso

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

nonpareil adj : eminent beyond or above comparison; "matchless beauty"; "the team's nonpareil center fielder"; "she's one girl in a million"; "the one and only Muhammad Ali"; "a peerless scholar"; "infamy unmatched in the Western world"; "wrote with unmatchable clarity"; "unrivaled mastery of her art" [syn: matchless, one(a), one and only(a), peerless, unmatched, unmatchable, unrivaled, unrivalled]

noun

1: model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal [syn: ideal, paragon, saint, apotheosis, nonesuch, nonsuch]
2: colored beads of sugar used as a topping on e.g. candies and cookies
3: a flat disk of chocolate covered with beads of colored sugar

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

Nonpareil \Non`pa*reil"\, n. [See Nonpareil, a. ]

1. Something of unequaled excellence; a peerless thing or person; a nonesuch; -- often used as a name.

2. [F. nonpareille.]

(Print.) A size of type next smaller than minion and next larger than agate (or ruby).

Note: This line is printed in the type called nonpareil.

3. (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) A beautifully colored finch (Passerina ciris), native of the Southern United States. The male has the head and neck deep blue, rump and under parts bright red, back and wings golden green, and the tail bluish purple. Called also painted finch.
   (b) Any other similar bird of the same genus.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Nonpareil \Non`pa*reil"\, a. [F., from non not + pareil equal, fr. LL. pariculus, dim. of L. par equal. See Non, and Pair, Peer.]

Having no equal; peerless.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)