wʌn wan wʌn oʊn juːnɪt(ə)ɹi characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is held by one central authority a unitary as opposed to a federal form of government having the indivisible character of a unit a unitary action spoke with one voice of or pertaining to or involving the use of units a unitary method was applied established a unitary distance on which to base subsequent calculations relating to or characterized by or aiming toward unity the unitary principles of nationalism a unitary movement in politics