universe

American  

[yoo-nuh-vurs] / ˈju nəˌvɜrs /

noun

• universes
  plural

1. the universe. the totality of known or supposed objects and phenomena throughout space; the cosmos; macrocosm.

2. the whole world, especially with reference to humanity.

   a truth known throughout the universe.

3. a world or sphere in which something exists or prevails.

   his private universe.

4. in New Age philosophy and popular culture, a divine but nonpersonal being, consciousness, or field of energy believed to connect everything that is, allowing the interaction of the physical with the spiritual and thought with reality.

5. Also called universe of discourse. Logic. the aggregate of all the objects, attributes, and relations assumed or implied in a given discussion.

6. Also called universal set. Mathematics. the set of all elements under discussion for a given problem.

7. Statistics. the entire population under study.

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universe British  

/ ˈjuːnɪˌvɜːs /

noun

1. astronomy the aggregate of all existing matter, energy, and space

2. human beings collectively

3. a province or sphere of thought or activity

4. statistics another word for population

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universe Scientific  

/ yo̅o̅′nə-vûrs′ /

1. The totality of matter, energy, and space, including the Solar System, the galaxies, and the contents of the space between the galaxies. Current theories of cosmology suggest that the universe is constantly expanding.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subuniverse
  noun
• superuniverse
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• universes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of universe

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Old French univers, from Latin ūniversum, noun use of neuter of ūniversus “all, entire,” literally, “turned into one,” from ūni- uni- + versus “turned” (past participle of vertere “to turn”)

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Explanation

Universe is a big word — in fact, it includes all matter and all of space. We can't see or know much about the outer limits of the universe, but we know that it has them, and the idea of matter contained within boundaries gives us other meanings for the word. You might refer to a "universe of ideas," or when conducting a scientific study, create "a universe of data." Universe can also mean a defined set of something — the five blocks between the playground and home can be the whole universe for a small child.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

universe universes

Business and consumer services and software account for half of defaults, likely due to their large representation in the broader credit estimate and leveraged finance universe, says Moody’s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Cracks have been mostly “contained” to the most vulnerable borrowers within the junk-bond universe, she said, but added: “I’m certainly watching it.”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

A massive galaxy cluster dating back to an era when such enormous structures were only beginning to take shape is challenging scientists' understanding of how the universe evolved.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

Developed during Albuquerque’s 2026 fellowship sponsored by the organization, “The Interval Between Things” continues her investigation of how people locate themselves within the landscape and the larger universe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

He wished he had an EGG and could disappear to another universe.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly

“Under Story,” Benjamin’s greatly anticipated follow-up to her breakout hit, is an ambitious and fantasy-inflected adventure story that unfolds in parallel universes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

For Gallo and his team of Aditya Aney, Tao Pan and William Koor, “both the AI and private credit universes face significant volatility.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

The process begins with scientists generating large numbers of simulated universes based on physical models.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 29, 2026

“We want to invent this feeling of being inside these universes, the sonification of nature in tune with what we call generative reality.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

How could two such different cultural universes maintain themselves across a calm strait only 10 miles wide and routinely traversed by canoes?

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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