individuality
Americannoun
plural
individualities-
the particular character, or aggregate of qualities, that distinguishes one person or thing from others; sole and personal nature.
a person of marked individuality.
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individualities, individual characteristics.
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a person or thing of individual or distinctive character.
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state or quality of being individual; existence as a distinct individual.
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the interests of the individual as distinguished from the interests of the community.
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Archaic. state or quality of being indivisible or inseparable.
noun
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distinctive or unique character or personality
a work of great individuality
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the qualities that distinguish one person or thing from another; identity
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the state or quality of being a separate entity; discreteness
Related Words
See character.
Other Word Forms
- nonindividuality noun
Etymology
Origin of individuality
First recorded in 1605–15; individual + -ity
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The film is also a deceptively heartwarming ode to self-expression, and the kind of life that can be cobbled together with an unyielding commitment to individuality.
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
She’d find her way back, on her terms, setting rules about protecting her health and individuality, and accepting what came her way.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
Together, these results highlight how domestication shaped the modern cat's voice, turning the meow into a flexible communication tool while leaving the purr as a steady marker of individuality.
From Science Daily • Feb. 11, 2026
Long reserved for women or military dress, brooches adorned men's chests during Milan Fashion Week, a throwback to a bygone era but with jewellery now signalling individuality, not just status.
From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026
In public, by contrast, full individuality is achieved, paradoxically, by those who are able to consider themselves members of the crowd.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
