sole-source
UK[ˈsəʊl sɔːs]US[ˈsoʊl sɔːrs]
adj
Relating to or being a contract awarded to a single supplier without competition, often due to unique capability or proprietary rights.
n
A single supplier from whom a particular product or service must be obtained.
Morpheme Breakdown
sole
source
sole
single
source
origin
Etymology
The compound term "sole-source" is a modern legal and commercial construct. Its first element, "sole," originates from the Latin 'solus', carrying the ancient and consistent sense of being alone or single. The second element, "source," traces back to the Latin verb 'surgere' (to rise), which evolved through Old French to denote a spring or fountain—the point from which something originates. Combined in English, these morphemes create a transparent metaphor: a single point of origin for a supply, logically extending to describe a procurement situation where there is only one available or authorized provider, excluding all others by definition.
Analysis
Structure: sole (single) + source (origin)
sole: From Latin 'solus' meaning "alone, only, single." Functions as an adjective meaning single or exclusive.
source: From Old French 'sourse', from Latin 'surgere' meaning "to rise." Functions as a noun meaning origin, point of supply, or provider.
Examples
The government issued a sole-source justification for procuring the specialized software.
The contractor was designated as a sole-source for the proprietary components.
Sole-source contracting is permitted under specific regulatory exceptions to competitive bidding.