--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Friendship should be in the singular; it…" description: "\"Friendship should be in the singular; it can be no more plural than love.\" — Ninon de L'Enclos" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_friend_friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it_970182.png" --- # Friendship should be in the singular; it can be no more… ![“Friendship should be in the singular; it can be no more plural than love.” quote by Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_friend_friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it_970182.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_friend_friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it_970182.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_friend_friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it_970182.png) > “Friendship should be in the singular; it can be no more plural than love.” [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Friendship should be singular and pure, not multiplied like love; it remains a single, deep bond. **In simple terms:** Friendship is one pure bond, not many. Key Takeaway Value deep, singular friendships. Themes friendship love singularity Mood reflective thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - social circles - family ties Key Concepts personal relationships literary analysis Questions to Reflect On - What does singular friendship mean to you? - Can love be both singular and plural? A Different Perspective Friendship can be complex and multifaceted, not just singular. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [Consciousness is a singular for which there is no plural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-schrodinger/consciousness-is-a-singular-for-which-there-is-no-plural/) [Erwin Schrodinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-schrodinger/) > [“Odd choice of a word, isn’t it? Fish is either singular, or plural. Imagine my surprise when I walked in the study and found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/odd-choice-of-a-word-isn-t-it-fish-is-either-singular-or-plural/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“I find nothing so singular in life as that everything appears to lose its substance the instant one actually grapples with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/i-find-nothing-so-singular-in-life-as-that-everything-appears-to-lose/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Remember: Y'all is singular. All y'all is plural. All y'all's is plural possessive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/remember-y-all-is-singular-all-y-all-is-plural-all-y-all-s-is-plural/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [I think leadership is never singular. In a good organization, it's plural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-think-leadership-is-never-singular-in-a-good-organization-it-s/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [“And I kept thinking about how sky is a singular noun, as if it's one thing. But the sky isn't one thing. The sky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-i-kept-thinking-about-how-sky-is-a-singular-noun-as-if-it-s-one/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“When our mental functioning is whittling away and our mind becomes a lame duck, perception does not form the context anymore and all connections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/when-our-mental-functioning-is-whittling-away-and-our-mind-becomes-a/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [My career has evolved at its own peculiar pace. American careers are supposed to have a much more singular direction than I've been able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-curry/my-career-has-evolved-at-its-own-peculiar-pace-american-careers-are/) [Tim Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-curry/) > [In my experience, 'SNL' has Lorne Michaels, who is, you know, the captain of the ship and gives the show direction and a singular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taran-killam/in-my-experience-snl-has-lorne-michaels-who-is-you-know-the-captain/) [Taran Killam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taran-killam/) > [... as a rule of thumb, whenever there appears a plural, correct for a singular. Should I ever let slip a royal WE, put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/as-a-rule-of-thumb-whenever-there-appears-a-plural-correct-for-a/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [By the time we get to the 2040s, we'll be able to multiply human intelligence a billionfold. That will be a profound change that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/by-the-time-we-get-to-the-2040s-we-ll-be-able-to-multiply-human/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [I think god is singular and exists everywhere and for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sourabh-raj-jain/i-think-god-is-singular-and-exists-everywhere-and-for-everyone/) [Sourabh Raj Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sourabh-raj-jain/) > [If art is singular expression, then by nature, the best art is controversial. But when art stirs debate for reasons besides its artistic integrity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/if-art-is-singular-expression-then-by-nature-the-best-art-is/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [The whole history of pop music had rested on the first person singular, with occasional intrusions of the second person singular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-whole-history-of-pop-music-had-rested-on-the-first-person/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [“It is said to be the age of the first person singular”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/it-is-said-to-be-the-age-of-the-first-person-singular/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Ninon de L'Enclos > [A woman is more influenced by what she divines than by what she is told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/a-woman-is-more-influenced-by-what-she-divines-than-by-what-she-is/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [The resistance of a woman is not always a proof of her virtue, but more frequently of her experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/the-resistance-of-a-woman-is-not-always-a-proof-of-her-virtue-but/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [One must choose between loving women and knowing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/one-must-choose-between-loving-women-and-knowing-them/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Equality is the share of every one at their advent upon earth, and equality is also theirs when placed beneath it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/equality-is-the-share-of-every-one-at-their-advent-upon-earth-and/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Novelty is the storehouse of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/novelty-is-the-storehouse-of-pleasure/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Hatred is nearly always honest--rarely, if ever, assumed. So much cannot be said for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/hatred-is-nearly-always-honest-rarely-if-ever-assumed-so-much-cannot/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [A woman should not take a lover without the consent of her heart, nor a husband without the consent of her reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/a-woman-should-not-take-a-lover-without-the-consent-of-her-heart-nor/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Wit is a dangerous talent in friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/wit-is-a-dangerous-talent-in-friendship/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [When our desires are fulfilled, we never fail to realize the wealth of imagination and the paucity of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/when-our-desires-are-fulfilled-we-never-fail-to-realize-the-wealth-of/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [A cunning woman is her own mistress because she confides in no one. She who deceives others anticipates deceit, and guards herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/a-cunning-woman-is-her-own-mistress-because-she-confides-in-no-one/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [If a man needs a religion to conduct himself properly in this world, it is a sign that he has either a limited mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/if-a-man-needs-a-religion-to-conduct-himself-properly-in-this-world/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [The joy of the mind is the measure of its strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/the-joy-of-the-mind-is-the-measure-of-its-strength/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Gossip, like ennui, is born of idleness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/gossip-like-ennui-is-born-of-idleness/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [There is a certain time of life, when we value a good stomach more than the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/there-is-a-certain-time-of-life-when-we-value-a-good-stomach-more/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/today-a-new-sun-rises-for-me-everything-lives-everything-is-animated/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) [Explore all 61 Ninon de L'Enclos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) KushSoulja > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) Shelly Yang > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Friendship should be in the singular; it can be no more plural than love.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ninon de L'Enclos" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it-can-be-no-more-plural-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it-can-be-no-more-plural-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_friend_friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it_970182.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_friend_friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it_970182.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_friend_friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it_970182.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Friendship should be in the singular; it can be no more plural than love.” — Ninon de L'Enclos", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ninon de L'Enclos", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Friendship should be in the singular;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it-can-be-no-more-plural-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it-can-be-no-more-plural-than/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```