# Is there a word for "Has Nothing In Common With"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-has-nothing-in-common-with/295615>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 21, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-has-nothing-in-common-with/295615 "2005-03-21T19:25:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-has-nothing-in-common-with/295615/21 "2005-03-22T16:15:28Z")

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> [@Colibri](#):
>
> Well, that doesn’t follow at all. Something can be unique in a single feature, and thus be unique itself, while still sharing all its other features with other things.

It can be very frustrating, especially when dealing with a dedicated sophist.

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**Author:** ![LarrySpankowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/958977/32.png) [@LarrySpankowitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LarrySpankowitz)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-has-nothing-in-common-with/295615/22 "2005-03-22T20:13:25Z")

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Incommensurable?

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**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-has-nothing-in-common-with/295615/23 "2005-03-25T15:43:33Z")

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Good words! I think I’ve got what I need to really do my best w/ this. Right now I’m leaning toward orthogonal as the word of choice because what has been suggested really seems to be a right angles to the rest of the processes that exist in the ordinance. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that a math metaphor may not be strategically sound.

Regardless, I’ve now got several words that should illustrate well what the person is claiming and against which I can juxtapose _unique_ and its definition & usage.

The SDMB pays for itself again!

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