one-dimensional
UK[ˌwʌndɪˈmenʃənl]US[ˌwʌndɪˈmenʃənl]
adj
Considering or presenting something in a single, often oversimplified, aspect; lacking depth or complexity.
adj
(Mathematics/Physics) Having or relating to a single dimension, such as length only.
Morpheme Breakdown
one
dimension
al
one
single
dimension
measure
al
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'one-dimensional' is a modern English compound formed from the numeral 'one', which traces back to the Proto-Germanic 'ainaz', and the noun 'dimension', derived from the Latin 'dimensio', meaning "a measuring". The suffix '-al', of Latin origin, adjectivizes the compound. Literally, it describes something measurable in only one direction, such as a line. This concrete, mathematical sense provided a powerful metaphor, leading to its common figurative use for ideas, characters, or analyses that are simplistic and lack the depth implied by multiple perspectives or dimensions.
Analysis
Structure: one (single) + dimension (measure) + al (adjective suffix)
- one: From Old English 'ān', meaning a single unit or thing. Its functional role is as a numerical root.
- dimension: From Latin 'dimensio(n-)', from 'dimetiri' (to measure out). Its functional role is as the core noun.
- al: A suffix forming adjectives, from Latin '-alis'. Its functional role is to convert the noun into an adjective.
Examples
The critic dismissed the novel's villain as a one-dimensional character.
In geometry, a line is a one-dimensional object.
His one-dimensional analysis failed to account for the complex social factors involved.