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

“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.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Has the uniqueness of human individuality been shattered?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The environment fosters radical self love and celebrates individuality.

Read more on Salon

Some of this foreign success gets attributed to the way other countries prioritize teamwork over individuality.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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