In legal definitions for interpersonal status, a person who is single is an individual not in a romantic relationship, married, or part of a civil union.
Terminology
Terminology for singleness varies, usually based on gender, language, and country. Generally, singles can be categorized by the following terms: never married, separated, divorced, and widowed.
English
Terms used to describe single men are seldom used, and carry positive connotations. Single men are often simply referred to as bachelors.
The English language has more terms for single, unwed women. These terms typically carry a negative connotation. Single women are sometimes called bachelorettes, especially in festive contexts in American English. However, the historic term for unwed women is spinster. The connotations of the word spinster have changed so much over time that it is now considered a derogatory term. The Oxford English Dictionary says in its usage notes for the word:
:The development of the word spinster is a good example of the way in which a word acquires strong connotations to the extent that it can no longer be used in a neutral sense. From the 17th century the word was appended to names as the official legal description of an unmarried woman: Elizabeth Harris of London, Spinster. This type of use survives today in some legal and religious contexts. In modern everyday English, however, spinster cannot be used to mean simply ‘unmarried woman’; it is now always a derogatory term, referring or alluding to a stereotype of an older woman who is unmarried, childless, prissy, and repressed.
Though spinster has a long history of being negative, there are some authors, such as Katie Bolick, who are trying to change the word's connotation into something positive. Additionally, the phrase Old Maid is used to describe an unmarried woman.
In 2019, Emma Watson coined the phrase "self-partnered" to describe her status as happily single.
French
Catherinette was a traditional French label for women of 25 years who were still unmarried by the Feast of Saint Catherine.
Chinese
The term sheng nu is used to describe unmarried women who are in mid to late twenties in China and East Asia.
Japanese
In Japan, men who have no interest in getting married are called sōshoku(-kei) danshi (草食(系)男子 ) or Herbivore men. This term also describes young men who have lost their "manliness".
Reasons people remain single
People may be or remain single for a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to) one or several of the following:
- Celibacy or sexual abstinence
- Aromanticism
- Asociality
- Financial duress
- Their mental health
- Pursuing educational or professional advancement
- Traumatic experiences including domestic violence, dysfunctional family, rape, or sexual assault
- Marrying later in life
By country
Statistics
Source: OECD