generality

[ jen-uh-ral-i-tee ]
See synonyms for: generalitygeneralities on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural gen·er·al·i·ties.
  1. an indefinite, unspecific, or undetailed statement: to speak in generalities about human rights.

  2. a general principle, rule, or law.

  1. the greater part or majority: the generality of people.

  2. the state or quality of being general.

Origin of generality

1
1400–50; late Middle English generalite<Latin generālitās.See general, -ity

Other words for generality

Words Nearby generality

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use generality in a sentence

  • The public should know how particular surveillance programs work, at least at a high level of generality.

    The Secret FISA Court Must Go | Jennifer Granick, Christopher Sprigman | July 24, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • In the eighth line we have “bells” seven times repeated in all—bells being taken in their utmost generality, viz., musical action.

    Assimilative Memory | Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
  • THE generality of naturalists are of opinion that the perfume called civet, or musk, is furnished only by one species of animals.

    Buffon's Natural History. Volume VII (of 10) | Georges Louis Leclerc de Buffon
  • The tale-tellers and the gossips—for they exist here as in the generality of sacred places—are distributed in various directions.

  • The seats are disposed in six parallel ranges, and the generality are quite good enough for anybody.

  • He thrives very well, like the generality of parsons, and will be a long liver if careful.

British Dictionary definitions for generality

generality

/ (ˌdʒɛnəˈrælɪtɪ) /


nounplural -ties
  1. a principle or observation having general application, esp when imprecise or unable to be proved

  2. the state or quality of being general

  1. archaic the majority

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012