individual
a single human being, as distinguished from a group.
a person: A strange individual came around asking if we wanted to buy any lamps.
a distinct, indivisible entity; a single thing, being, instance, or item.
a group considered as a unit.
Biology.
a single organism capable of independent existence.
a member of a compound organism or colony.
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.
single; particular; separate: It's standard practice to number individual copies of a limited edition.
intended for the use of one person only: Servers handed out individual portions of a pizza to guests at the party.
of, relating to, or characteristic of a particular person or thing: The decor was highly reflective of his individual tastes.
distinguished by special, singular, or markedly personal characteristics; exhibiting unique or unusual qualities: She was known for her highly individual style of painting.
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.
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.
Origin of individual
1synonym study For individual
usage note For individual
Other words from individual
- 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
Words that may be confused with individual
- individual , person (see usage note at the current entry)
Words Nearby individual
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use individual in a sentence
In addition, she says, “I do worry about the vaccine hesitant group of individuals.”
A coronavirus vaccine will save more lives if we share it widely | Kat Eschner | September 17, 2020 | Popular-ScienceHowever, the marketers’ internal models typically don’t get into the specifics of individual media channels.
NBCUniversal tests new measurement program to prove it can push product sales for advertisers | Tim Peterson | September 17, 2020 | DigidayIn some states, like Nebraska, individual counties are expanding access to mail-in voting in absence of a statewide directive.
Vote by mail: Which states allow absentee voting | Kate Rabinowitz, Brittany Mayes | September 17, 2020 | Washington PostIt remains to be seen if it will be picked up as an individual piece of legislation.
Why lawmakers may choose a more targeted approach for the second round of COVID stimulus | Aric Jenkins | September 16, 2020 | FortuneIn 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.
While We’re Rethinking Policing, It’s Time to End Gang Injunctions | Jamie Wilson | September 15, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
Each individual race involves an unusual collaboration between researchers, manufacturers, and public-health entities.
Can they determine that individual citizens should not have access to rights provided by the Constitution?
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over | Jay Michaelson | January 5, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTFor anything to work, including law itself, there must be ample room for individual responsibility.
Neither individual would go on the record due to the sensitivity of discussing personnel matters.
Vaclav Klaus, Libertarian Hero, Has His Wings Clipped by Cato Institute | James Kirchick | December 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTMistletoes infections can kill individual trees and stands of trees, and most mistletoe species attack specific tree species.
individual samples may be slightly alkaline, especially after a full meal.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell ToddThe individual prisms are usually slender, with one beveled, wedge-like end, but are sometimes needle-like.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell ToddThis, as a piece of pure economics, does not interest the individual employer a particle.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen LeacockA ten-hour day, speaking in general terms and leaving out individual exceptions, is probably more productive than a day of twelve.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen LeacockThey wage war as a tribe on account of wrongs done to a private individual.
British Dictionary definitions for individual
/ (ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl) /
of, relating to, characteristic of, or meant for a single person or thing
separate or distinct, esp from others of its kind; particular: please mark the individual pages
characterized by unusual and striking qualities; distinctive
obsolete indivisible; inseparable
a single person, esp when regarded as distinct from others
biology
a single animal or plant, esp as distinct from a species
a single member of a compound organism or colony
logic
Also called: particular an object as opposed to a property or class
an element of the domain of discourse of a theory
Origin of individual
1Derived forms of individual
- individually, adverb
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
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