universal

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːɹsl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

  Rhymes: -ɜː(r)səl

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.
   • 1922, Henry Ford, My Life and Work:

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

   • 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."

3. Common to all society; world-wide

   She achieved universal fame.

   • 1760, John Dryden, “The Life of John Dryden, Esq.”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, Esq.; Containing All His Original Poems, Tales, and Translations. Now First Collected and Published Together in Four Volumes. With Explanatory Notes and Observations. Also an Account of His Life and Writings, volume I, London: Printed for J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, in the Strand, 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 general-purpose, all-purpose, e.g., universal wrench.

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:

     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".

Adjective

universal (masculine and feminine plural universals)

1. universal

Adjective

universal m, f (plural universais)

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /univɛʁˈzaːl/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

universal (comparative universaler, superlative am universalsten)

1. universal

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

Noun

universal

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

Determiner

universal

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

Adjective

universal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular universale)

1. universal

Etymology

From Latin universalis.

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /u.ni.vɨɾ.ˈsaɫ/
• Hyphenation: u‧ni‧ver‧sal

Adjective

universal m, f (plural universais, comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to the universe; universal.
2. Common to all society; universal; world-wide.
3. Common to all members of a group or class; universal.

Adjective

universal (plural universales)

1. universal