universal

American  

[yoo-nuh-vur-suhl] / ˌju nəˈvɜr səl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of all or the whole.

   universal experience.

2. applicable everywhere or in all cases; general.

   a universal cure.

3. affecting, concerning, or involving all.

   universal military service.

4. used or understood by all.

   a universal language.

5. present everywhere.

   the universal calm of southern seas.

6. versed in or embracing many or all skills, branches of learning, etc..

   Leonardo da Vinci was a universal genius.

7. of or relating to the universe, all nature, or all existing things.

   universal cause.

8. characterizing all or most members of a class; generic.

9. Logic. (of a proposition) asserted of every member of a class.

10. Linguistics. found in all languages or belonging to the human language faculty.

11. Machinery. noting any of various machines, tools, or devices widely adaptable in position, range of use, etc.

12. Metalworking.

    1. (of metal plates and shapes) rolled in a universal mill.

    2. (of a rolling mill or rolling method) having or employing vertical edging rolls.

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noun

universals plural

1. something that may be applied throughout the universe to many things, usually thought of as an entity that can be in many places at the same time.

2. a trait, characteristic, or property, as distinguished from a particular individual or event, that can be possessed in common, as the care of a mother for her young.

3. Logic. a universal proposition.

4. Philosophy.

   1. a general term or concept or the generic nature that such a term signifies; a Platonic idea or Aristotelian form.

   2. an entity that remains unchanged in character in a series of changes or changing relations.

   3. Hegelianism. concrete universal.

5. language universal.

6. Machinery. universal joint.

universal British  

/ ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or typical of the whole of mankind or of nature

2. common to, involving, or proceeding from all in a particular group

3. applicable to or affecting many individuals, conditions, or cases; general

4. existing or prevailing everywhere

5. applicable or occurring throughout or relating to the universe; cosmic

   a universal constant

6. (esp of a language) capable of being used and understood by all

7. embracing or versed in many fields of knowledge, activity, interest, etc

8. machinery designed or adapted for a range of sizes, fittings, or uses

9. linguistics (of a constraint in a formal grammar) common to the grammatical description of all human languages, actual or possible

10. logic (of a statement or proposition) affirming or denying something about every member of a class, as in all men are wicked Compare particular

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noun

1. philosophy

   1. a general term or concept or the type such a term signifies

   2. a metaphysical entity taken to be the reference of a general term, as distinct from the class of individuals it describes See also realism

   3. a Platonic Idea or Aristotelian form

2. logic

   1. a universal proposition, statement, or formula

   2. a universal quantifier

3. a characteristic common to every member of a particular culture or to every human being

4. short for universal joint

Usage

The use of more universal as in his writings have long been admired by fellow scientists, but his latest book should have more universal appeal is acceptable in modern English usage

Synonym Usage

See general.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• superuniversalness
  noun
• universalness
  noun
• nonuniversal
  adjective
• quasi-universal
  adjective
• subuniversal
  adjective
• superuniversal
  adjective
• nonuniversally
  adverb
• quasi-universally
  adverb
• superuniversally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• universals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of universal

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English universel (adjective), from Middle French, from Latin ūniversālis; equivalent to universe + -al ¹

Explanation

Universal describes something for everything or everyone. Universal design is architectural design that accommodates every person. A universal remote can change the stations on all your home entertainment systems, but hopefully not at once. The uni in universal means "one" so this word is all about "one for all and all for one." If it's universal, it applies to all cases. Like the universe itself, a universal emotion is one that every human can understand or relate to. The desire for your children to be safe and happy is universal. If you are to make a universal change in a document it means that every time the specified word appears, it should be fixed.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

universal universals

But the charity found multiple sets could be exposed simultaneously in six out of eight of the universal adaptors it tested.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Thanks to four years as vice president and two presidential bids, her name identification is universal, and she has demonstrated the ability to raise mounds of money.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

Espinosa, a former foreign minister of Ecuador, has called the United Nations the only universal platform for handling humanity's common challenges, but also wants deeper reform of the world body.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

But that capacity to feel deeply, especially when that feeling is the heart-wrenching universal antic that is love, brings with it some degree of suffering.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

It was a smell of general decomposition but one with universal dimensions, one that an athlete could identify until the day of his death.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

By identifying which universals truly stand up to rigorous testing, the study helps narrow the focus for future research.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 5, 2026

Appealing to universals, Mr. Blair recognizes the basic physiological realities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

“The book touches on many universals, one of which is the ever-present problem of tyranny,” Rivera says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2024

“But the search for universals took place in only one corner of the language universe.”

From Scientific American ● Oct. 18, 2023

Another of life’s universals is there’s always those things in a town that ‘everybody knows,” except for the person who’s new.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool

Related Words

• broad
• common
• comprehensive
• extensive
• global
• prevalent
• ubiquitous
• unlimited