universal definition

English universal definition

Etymology

From Middle English universal, from Old French universal (modern French universel), from Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsl̩/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌjunɪˈvɝsl̩/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)səl
• Hyphenation: uni‧ver‧sal

Adjective

universal (comparative more universal, superlative most universal)

1. Of or pertaining to the universe.
2. Common to all members of a group or class.
   • 1911, 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica:

     In Logic, the letter A is used as a symbol for the universal affirmative proposition in the general form "all x is y."

   • 1922, Henry Ford; Samuel Crowther, chapter 4, in My Life and Work, Garden City, New York: Garden City Publishing Company, Inc., OCLC 800601188:

     I had been planning every day through these years toward a universal car.

3. Common to all society; worldwide.

   She achieved universal fame.

   • a. 1701, John Dryden, “The Life of John Dryden, Esq.”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume I, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, OCLC 863244003, page xiii:

     [John] Dryden's univerſal genius, his firmly eſtablished reputation, and the glory his memory muſt always reflect upon the nation that gave him birth, make us ardently wiſh for a more accurate life of him than any which has hitherto appeared: […]

4. Unlimited; vast; infinite.
5. Useful for many purposes; all-purpose.

   universal wrench

Synonyms

• (common to all members of a group or class): general; see also Thesaurus:generic
• (unlimited): see also Thesaurus:infinite
• (useful for many purposes ): general-purpose, multi-purpose

Antonyms

• nonuniversal

Derived terms

• universalise, universalize
• universal quantifier
• universally

Related terms

• universe
• university
• universality

Translations

See also

• universal on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• general
• global

Further reading

• universal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• universal in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911

Noun

universal (plural universals)

1. (philosophy) A characteristic or property that particular things have in common.
   • 1912, Bertrand Russel, The Problems of Philosophy, Chapter 9:

     When we examine common words, we find that, broadly speaking, proper names stand for particulars, while other substantives, adjectives, prepositions, and verbs stand for universals.

   • 1970, John R. Searle, Speech acts‎^[1]:

     We might also distinguish those expressions which are used to refer to individuals or particulars from those which are used to refer to what philosophers have called universals: e.g., to distinguish such expressions as "Everest" and "this chair" from "the number three", "the color red" and "drunkenness".

See also

• particular

Further reading

• S:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Universals
• The Medieval Problem of Universals - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

---

Catalan universal definition

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis, first attested circa 1400.^[1]

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /u.ni.vəɾˈsal/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /u.ni.bərˈsal/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /u.ni.veɾˈsal/

Adjective

universal (masculine and feminine plural universals)

1. universal

Derived terms

• universalment

Related terms

• univers
• universalitat

Further reading

• “universal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “universal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “universal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

References

---

Galician universal definition

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

universal m or f (plural universais)

1. of or pertaining to the universe
2. world-wide, universal, common to all cultures

Synonyms

• (world-wide): mundial

Related terms

• universalidade
• universo

Further reading

• “universal” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.

---

German universal definition

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /univɛʁˈzaːl/
• Rhymes: -aːl

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

universal (strong nominative masculine singular universaler, comparative universaler, superlative am universalsten)

1. universal

Declension

Further reading

• “universal” in Duden online
• “universal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

---

Middle English universal definition

Alternative forms

• universall, unyversal, universalle, universell, uniyversale, universele, universel

Etymology

From Old French universel, from Latin ūniversālis; equivalent to universe +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iu̯niˈvɛrsal/, /iu̯nivɛrˈsaːl/, /iu̯niˈvɛrsɛl/

Adjective

universal

1. all-encompassing, subject to everything and everyone; having universal significance.
2. (Late Middle English) absolute, subject to everything in a given area or subject (e.g. a settlement; a person)
3. (Late Middle English) frequently practiced, usual, customary.
4. (Late Middle English, rare) Given total leeway and control; with universal power.
5. (Late Middle English, rare) unbiased, unprejudiced, nonpolitical
6. (Late Middle English, rare) general, non-specific, generic
7. (Late Middle English, philosophy, rare) unformed, uncreated, unmade.
8. (Late Middle English, philosophy, rare) theoretical, abstract, general.

Derived terms

• universalite
• universally

Descendants

• English: universal

References

• “ūniversā̆l, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-31.

Noun

universal

1. (Late Middle English, philosophy, rare) A category, class, or classification.

Descendants

• English: universal

References

• “ūniversā̆l, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-31.

Determiner

universal

1. (Late Middle English) The whole, all of, every portion of, all parts of.
2. (Late Middle English, rare) Every kind of; all sorts of

References

• “ūniversā̆l, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-31.

---

Occitan universal definition

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Languedocien)

  (file)

Adjective

universal m (feminine singular universala, masculine plural universals, feminine plural universalas)

1. universal

Derived terms

• universalament

Related terms

• univèrs
• universalitat

---

Old French universal definition

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Adjective

universal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular universale)

1. universal

Descendants

• French: universel
• → Middle English: universal, universall, unyversal, universalle, universell, uniyversale, universele, universel
  • English: universal

---

Piedmontese universal definition

Alternative forms

• üniversal

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ynivɛrˈsal/

Adjective

universal

1. universal

---

Portuguese universal definition

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: u‧ni‧ver‧sal

Adjective

universal m or f (plural universais)

1. (relational) universe; universal
2. common to all society; universal; world-wide
3. common to all members of a group or class; universal

Inflection

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:universal.

Derived terms

• universalmente

Related terms

• universalidade
• universo

Further reading

• “universal” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913

---

Romanian universal definition

Etymology

From French universel, from Latin universalis.

Adjective

universal m or n (feminine singular universală, masculine plural universali, feminine and neuter plural universale)

1. universal

Declension

Related terms

• univers
• universalitate

---

Spanish universal definition

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /unibeɾˈsal/, [u.ni.β̞eɾˈsal]
• Hyphenation: u‧ni‧ver‧sal

Adjective

universal (plural universales)

1. universal

Derived terms

• alicates universales
• universalmente

Related terms

• universalidad
• universo

Further reading

• “universal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Anagrams

• vulneráis