individual

[ in-duh-vij-oo-uhl ]

noun

1. a single human being, as distinguished from a group.
2. a person:

   A strange individual came around asking if we wanted to buy any lamps.

3. a distinct, indivisible entity; a single thing, being, instance, or item.
4. a group considered as a unit.
5. Biology.
   1. a single organism capable of independent existence.
   2. a member of a compound organism or colony.
6. Cards. a duplicate-bridge tournament in which each player plays the same number of hands in partnership with every other player, individual scores for each player being kept for each hand.

adjective

1. single; particular; separate:

   It's standard practice to number individual copies of a limited edition.

2. intended for the use of one person only:

   Servers handed out individual portions of a pizza to guests at the party.

3. of, relating to, or characteristic of a particular person or thing:

   The decor was highly reflective of his individual tastes.

4. distinguished by special, singular, or markedly personal characteristics; exhibiting unique or unusual qualities:

   She was known for her highly individual style of painting.

5. existing as a distinct, indivisible entity, or considered as such; discrete:

   It can be difficult to replace individual parts of a tea set if one breaks.

6. belonging to a set or group of which each is different or of a different design from the others:

   For Christmas they got a set of individual coffee cups.

individual

/ ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, characteristic of, or meant for a single person or thing
2. separate or distinct, esp from others of its kind; particular

   please mark the individual pages

3. characterized by unusual and striking qualities; distinctive
4. obsolete.
   indivisible; inseparable

noun

1. a single person, esp when regarded as distinct from others
2. biology
   1. a single animal or plant, esp as distinct from a species
   2. a single member of a compound organism or colony
3. logic
   1. Also calledparticular an object as opposed to a property or class
   2. an element of the domain of discourse of a theory

Usage Note

As a synonym for person, individual is standard, occurring in all varieties of speech and writing: Three individuals entered the room, each carrying a sheaf of papers. Some object to this use, insisting that individual can mean only “a single human being, as distinguished from a group”: An individual may have concerns that are ignored by their party.

Derived Forms

• ˌindiˈvidually, adverb

Other Words From

• inter·indi·vidu·al adjective
• nonin·di·vidu·al adjective
• super·indi·vidu·al adjective noun
• super·indi·vidu·al·ly adverb
• transin·di·vidu·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of individual¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin indīviduālis, equivalent to Latin indīviduus “indivisible” (from in- negative prefix + dīviduus “divided or divisible into two parts”) + -ālis adjective suffix; in- ³, divide, -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of individual¹

C15: from Medieval Latin indīviduālis, from Latin indīviduus indivisible, from in- ¹+ dīviduus divisible, from dīvidere to divide

Synonym Study

See person.

Example Sentences

In addition, she says, “I do worry about the vaccine hesitant group of individuals.”

From Popular-Science

However, the marketers’ internal models typically don’t get into the specifics of individual media channels.

From Digiday

In some states, like Nebraska, individual counties are expanding access to mail-in voting in absence of a statewide directive.

From Washington Post

It remains to be seen if it will be picked up as an individual piece of legislation.

From Fortune

In the past decade, Los Angeles and other counties throughout California have stopped using gang injunctions because research has proven them harmful to families, communities, the individual and eventually society.

From Voice of San Diego

Each individual race involves an unusual collaboration between researchers, manufacturers, and public-health entities.

From The Daily Beast

Can they determine that individual citizens should not have access to rights provided by the Constitution?

From The Daily Beast

For anything to work, including law itself, there must be ample room for individual responsibility.

From The Daily Beast

Neither individual would go on the record due to the sensitivity of discussing personnel matters.

From The Daily Beast

Mistletoes infections can kill individual trees and stands of trees, and most mistletoe species attack specific tree species.

From The Daily Beast

Individual samples may be slightly alkaline, especially after a full meal.

From Project Gutenberg

The individual prisms are usually slender, with one beveled, wedge-like end, but are sometimes needle-like.

From Project Gutenberg

This, as a piece of pure economics, does not interest the individual employer a particle.

From Project Gutenberg

A ten-hour day, speaking in general terms and leaving out individual exceptions, is probably more productive than a day of twelve.

From Project Gutenberg

They wage war as a tribe on account of wrongs done to a private individual.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• child
• entity
• human being
• man
• party
• person
• woman