individuality

[in-duh-vij-oo-al-i-tee]

noun

plural

individualities 

1. the particular character, or aggregate of qualities, that distinguishes one person or thing from others; sole and personal nature.

   a person of marked individuality.

2. individualities, individual characteristics.

3. a person or thing of individual or distinctive character.

4. state or quality of being individual; existence as a distinct individual.

5. the interests of the individual as distinguished from the interests of the community.

6. Archaic.,  state or quality of being indivisible or inseparable.

individuality

/ ˌɪndɪˌvɪdjʊˈælɪtɪ /

noun

1. distinctive or unique character or personality

   a work of great individuality

2. the qualities that distinguish one person or thing from another; identity

3. the state or quality of being a separate entity; discreteness

Other Word Forms

• nonindividuality noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of individuality¹

First recorded in 1605–15; individual + -ity

Synonym Study

See character.

Example Sentences

“But individual blacks are breaking away from the group, putting their self-interest ahead of groupthink, asserting their political individuality.”

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“People associate costumes that my uncle made with that person’s image, because he was very good at that. He was looking for individuality.”

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But the intensity of the sound adds a crudeness to the instrumental ensemble, which can be all harp or ear-shatter clarinet, and reduces the individuality of singers’ voices.

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“Sonically, there was a lot of individuality at the time, with so many new sounds and genres,” recalled Lauper, a born-and-bred New Yorker who briefly worked as an office assistant before her career took off.

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Research on California sea otters shows that along the central coast, there is “extreme individuality in diet and behavior.”

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Related Words

• distinctiveness www.thesaurus.com
• eccentricity 
• humor 
• identity 
• idiosyncrasy 
• individualism 
• oneness 
• originality 
• temperament 
• uniqueness 
• unity