To wonder if the phrase "one of a kind" has reversed its meaning?

[somebloke123]

I had always understood the term "one of a kind" to be the same as "one of a type". If a person was "one of a kind" the implication was that there were a number of people of that type and he/she happened to be one of them.

When I heard some time ago on TV of the death of Norman Wisdom, the item ended with the words "Whatever you thought of him, there can be no doubt that he was one of a kind". But what they meant to say surely was that he was unique, not just one of a kind.

And I have heard this (to my mind) incorrect usage quite a number of times recently. Has anyone else noticed this? Should we care?

Of course I may be showing myself up here as one of a kind (pedant).

No I've always understood one of a kind to mean unique.

I thought One of a kind means original, different, unique....

um, one of a kind has always meant that...

'one of a kind' does always, and has always, meant unique. As in, there is only one of them!

I've never heard the phrase 'one of a type'.

YABU, and incorrect. "One of a kind" has always meant unique.

One of a King synonyms

You have always thought wrong. Sorry.

Sorry, one of a kind, obviously.

Right now my toddler is not one of kind with his ear infection and lack of sleep.

It has always meant 'unique'. It is a phrase, so the meaning isn't necessarily the face value of the words iyswim. The words'one of a kind' do, on face value, mean one of a type, but the whole phrase means unique and always has.

OK thanks everyone - I stand corrected!

'One of a kind' just means that's the only example of its 'kind' or species.