1 (one, also called unit, unity, and (multiplicative) identity) is a number, and a numerical digit used to

represent that number in numerals. It represents a single entity, the unit of counting or measurement.
For example, a line segment of unit length is a line segment of length 1. It is also the first of the infinite
sequence of natural numbers, followed by 2.

Etymology

The word one can be used as a noun, an adjective and a pronoun.[1]

It comes from the English word an,[1] which comes from the Proto-Germanic root *ainaz.[1] The Proto-
Germanic root *ainaz comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *oi-no-.[1]

Compare the Proto-Germanic root *ainaz to Old Frisian an, Gothic ains, Danish en, Dutch een, German
eins and Old Norse einn.

Compare the Proto-Indo-European root *oi-no- (which means "one, single"[1]) to Greek oinos (which
means "ace" on dice[1]), Latin unus (one[1]), Old Persian aivam, Old Church Slavonic -inu and ino-,
Lithuanian vienas, Old Irish oin and Breton un (one[1]).

As a number

One, sometimes referred to as unity,[2] is the first non-zero natural number. It is thus the integer before
two and after zero, and the first positive odd number.

Any number multiplied by one remains that number, as one is the identity for multiplication. As a result,
1 is its own factorial, its own square and square root, its own cube and cube root, and so on. One is also
the result of the empty product, as any number multiplied by one is itself. It is also the only natural
number that is neither composite nor prime with respect to division, but instead considered a unit
(meaning of ring theory).

As a digit

Main article: History of the Hindu–Arabic numeral system

The glyph used today in the Western world to represent the number 1, a vertical line, often with a serif
at the top and sometimes a short horizontal line at the bottom, traces its roots back to the Brahmic
script of ancient India, where it was a simple vertical line. It was transmitted to Europe via Arabic during
the Middle Ages.
In some countries, the serif at the top is sometimes extended into a long upstroke, sometimes as long as
the vertical line, which can lead to confusion with the glyph for seven in other countries. Where the 1 is
written with a long upstroke, the number 7 has a horizontal stroke through the vertical line.

While the shape of the 1 character has an ascender in most modern typefaces, in typefaces with text
figures, the character usually is of x-height, as, for example, in Horizontal guidelines with a one fitting
within lines, a four extending below guideline, and an eight poking above guideline.

Decorative clay/stone circular off-white sundial with bright gold stylized sunburst in center of 24 hour
clock face, one through twelve clockwise on right, and one through twelve again clockwise on left, with J
shapes where ones' digits would be expected when numbering the clock hours. Shadow suggests 3 PM
toward lower left.

The 24-hour tower clock in Venice, using J as a symbol for 1.

Many older typewriters do not have a separate symbol for 1 and use the lowercase letter l instead. It is
possible to find cases when the uppercase J is used, while it may be for decorative purposes.