universal

universal

English

Etymology

From Middle English universal, from Old French universal (modern French universel), from Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsl̩/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌjunɪˈvɝsl̩/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)səl
• Hyphenation: uni‧ver‧sal

Adjective

universal (comparative more universal, superlative most universal)

1. Of or pertaining to the universe.
2. Common to all members of a group or class.
   • 1911, 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica:

     In Logic, the letter A is used as a symbol for the universal affirmative proposition in the general form "all x is y."

   • 1922, Henry Ford; Samuel Crowther, chapter 4, in My Life and Work, Garden City, New York: Garden City Publishing Company, Inc., OCLC 800601188:

     I had been planning every day through these years toward a universal car.

3. Common to all society; worldwide.

   She achieved universal fame.

   • a. 1701 (date written)​, John Dryden, “The Life of John Dryden, Esq.”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume I, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, OCLC 863244003, page xiii:

     [John] Dryden's univerſal genius, his firmly eſtablished reputation, and the glory his memory muſt always reflect upon the nation that gave him birth, make us ardently wiſh for a more accurate life of him than any which has hitherto appeared: […]

4. Unlimited; vast; infinite.
5. Useful for many purposes; all-purpose.

   universal wrench

Synonyms

• (common to all members of a group or class): general; see also Thesaurus:generic
• (unlimited): see also Thesaurus:infinite
• (useful for many purposes ): general-purpose, multi-purpose

Antonyms

• nonuniversal

Derived terms

• universalise, universalize
• universal quantifier
• universally

Related terms

• universe
• university
• universality

Translations

of or pertaining to the universe

Bulgarian: вселенски (vselenski), всемирен (bg) (vsemiren) Catalan: universal (ca) Chinese: Mandarin: 宇宙的 (yǔzhòu de) Esperanto: universa Finnish: yleismaailmallinen (fi), universaali (fi), kosminen (fi) French: universel (fr) Galician: universal (gl) Greek: παγκόσμιος (el) (pagkósmios) Ido: universala (io) Japanese: 宇宙の (uchū no) Occitan: universal (oc) Persian: جهانی‎ (fa) Polish: kosmiczny (pl) Portuguese: universal (pt) Russian: вселе́нский (ru) (vselénskij), косми́ческий (ru) (kosmíčeskij) Slovene: vesoljski Spanish: universal (es) Swedish: universell (sv) Tagalog: sansinukbin

common to all members of a group or class

Armenian: համամարդկային (hy) (hamamardkayin) Belarusian: агу́льны (be) (ahúlʹny) Bulgarian: универсален (bg) (universalen) Catalan: universal (ca) Chinese: Mandarin: 普遍 (zh) (pǔbiàn), 全體的／全体的 (quántǐ de) Dutch: algemeen (nl) Finnish: yleinen (fi), yleis-; yleispätevä French: universel (fr) German: allgemein (de), Allgemein-, universell (de) Greek: παγκόσμιος (el) (pagkósmios) Ancient: καθολικός (katholikós) Irish: comhchoiteann Japanese: 普遍的 (sekai teki) Latin: ūniversālis Polish: ogólny (pl), powszechny (pl), uniwersalny (pl) Portuguese: universal (pt) Russian: всео́бщий (ru) (vseóbščij) Slovene: univerzalen Spanish: universal (es) Turkish: evrensel (tr)

common to all society, world-wide

Armenian: համամարդկային (hy) (hamamardkayin) Belarusian: агу́льны (be) (ahúlʹny) Bulgarian: всео́бщ (bg) (vseóbšt) Chinese: Mandarin: 全世界的 (quánshìjiè de) Dutch: universeel (nl), wereldwijd (nl) Finnish: maailmanlaajuinen (fi) French: universel (fr) Galician: universal (gl) German: weltweit (de), Welt-, universell (de) Greek: παγκόσμιος (el) (pagkósmios) Ancient: καθολικός (katholikós) Haitian Creole: inivèsèl Hebrew: עולמי‎ Icelandic: algildur Irish: uilechoiteann Japanese: 世界的 (ja) (sekai teki) Latin: ūniversālis Malay: sejagat, universal Portuguese: universal (pt) Russian: всео́бщий (ru) (vseóbščij), глоба́льный (ru) (globálʹnyj), всесторо́нний (ru) (vsestorónnij), всеми́рный (ru) (vsemírnyj), общечелове́ческий (ru) (obščečelovéčeskij) Slovak: všeľudský Slovene: univerzalen Spanish: universal (es) Swedish: universell (sv) Turkish: evrensel (tr) Yiddish: אַלוועלטלעך‎ (alveltlekh)

cosmic, unlimited

Bulgarian: космически (bg) (kosmičeski) Chinese: Mandarin: 無限／无限 (zh) (wúxiàn), 無窮／无穷 (zh) (wúqióng) Finnish: rajaton (fi), ääretön (fi) German: kosmisch (de) Japanese: 無限 (ja) (mugen) Portuguese: universal (pt) Russian: вселе́нский (ru) (vselénskij), косми́ческий (ru) (kosmíčeskij) Spanish: universal (es)

useful for many purposes

Bulgarian: универсален (bg) (universalen) Chinese: Mandarin: 萬用／万用 (zh), 万用 (wànyòng), 萬能／万能 (zh) (wànnéng) Czech: všestranný (cs), univerzální (cs) Dutch: universeel (nl) Finnish: yleis-, yleiskäyttöinen (fi) German: universell (de), Universal-, All- Greek: παγκόσμιος (el) (pagkósmios) Hungarian: univerzális (hu) Icelandic: alhliða Japanese: 万能 (ja) (bannō) Polish: uniwersalny (pl) Portuguese: universal (pt) Russian: универса́льный (ru) (universálʹnyj), всесторо́нний (ru) (vsestorónnij) Slovene: univerzalen Spanish: universal (es) Swedish: omfattande (sv) Turkish: evrensel (tr), çok amaçlı Ukrainian: універса́льний (universálʹnyj)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Arabic: (please verify) عَالَمِيّ‎ (ʿālamiyy) Esperanto: (please verify) universala French: (please verify) universel (fr) German: (please verify) allgemein (de), (please verify) Universal-, (please verify) universell (de) Hungarian: (please verify) egyetemes (hu) Ido: (please verify) universala (io) Italian: (please verify) universale (it) Japanese: (please verify) 全世界の (ぜんせかいの, zensekai no) Korean: (please verify) 우주의 (ujuui), (please verify) 전세계의 (jeonsegyeui) Latin: (please verify) universalis Spanish: (please verify) universal (es) Swedish: (please verify) universell (sv) (2), (please verify) universal- (sv) (3)

See also

• universal on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• general
• global

Further reading

• universal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• universal in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911

Noun

universal (plural universals)

1. (philosophy) A characteristic or property that particular things have in common.
   • 1912, Bertrand Russel, The Problems of Philosophy, Chapter 9:

     When we examine common words, we find that, broadly speaking, proper names stand for particulars, while other substantives, adjectives, prepositions, and verbs stand for universals.

   • 1970, John R. Searle, Speech acts‎:

     We might also distinguish those expressions which are used to refer to individuals or particulars from those which are used to refer to what philosophers have called universals: e.g., to distinguish such expressions as "Everest" and "this chair" from "the number three", "the color red" and "drunkenness".

See also

• particular

Further reading

• S:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Universals
• The Medieval Problem of Universals - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

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Catalan

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis, first attested circa 1400.[1]

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /u.ni.vəɾˈsal/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /u.ni.bərˈsal/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /u.ni.veɾˈsal/

Adjective

universal (masculine and feminine plural universals)

1. universal

Derived terms

• universalment

Related terms

• univers
• universalitat

References

1. “universal”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023

Further reading

• “universal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “universal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “universal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

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Galician

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Adjective

universal m or f (plural universais)

1. of or pertaining to the universe
2. world-wide, universal, common to all cultures

Synonyms

• (world-wide): mundial

Related terms

• universalidade
• universo

Further reading

• “universal” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.

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German

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /univɛʁˈzaːl/
• Rhymes: -aːl

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

universal (strong nominative masculine singular universaler, comparative universaler, superlative am universalsten)

1. universal

Declension

Positive forms of universal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist universal	sie ist universal	es ist universal	sie sind universal
strong declension (without article)	nominative	universaler	universale	universales	universale
	genitive	universalen	universaler	universalen	universaler
	dative	universalem	universaler	universalem	universalen
	accusative	universalen	universale	universales	universale
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der universale	die universale	das universale	die universalen
	genitive	des universalen	der universalen	des universalen	der universalen
	dative	dem universalen	der universalen	dem universalen	den universalen
	accusative	den universalen	die universale	das universale	die universalen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein universaler	eine universale	ein universales	(keine) universalen
	genitive	eines universalen	einer universalen	eines universalen	(keiner) universalen
	dative	einem universalen	einer universalen	einem universalen	(keinen) universalen
	accusative	einen universalen	eine universale	ein universales	(keine) universalen

Comparative forms of universal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist universaler	sie ist universaler	es ist universaler	sie sind universaler
strong declension (without article)	nominative	universalerer	universalere	universaleres	universalere
	genitive	universaleren	universalerer	universaleren	universalerer
	dative	universalerem	universalerer	universalerem	universaleren
	accusative	universaleren	universalere	universaleres	universalere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der universalere	die universalere	das universalere	die universaleren
	genitive	des universaleren	der universaleren	des universaleren	der universaleren
	dative	dem universaleren	der universaleren	dem universaleren	den universaleren
	accusative	den universaleren	die universalere	das universalere	die universaleren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein universalerer	eine universalere	ein universaleres	(keine) universaleren
	genitive	eines universaleren	einer universaleren	eines universaleren	(keiner) universaleren
	dative	einem universaleren	einer universaleren	einem universaleren	(keinen) universaleren
	accusative	einen universaleren	eine universalere	ein universaleres	(keine) universaleren

Superlative forms of universal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist am universalsten	sie ist am universalsten	es ist am universalsten	sie sind am universalsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	universalster	universalste	universalstes	universalste
	genitive	universalsten	universalster	universalsten	universalster
	dative	universalstem	universalster	universalstem	universalsten
	accusative	universalsten	universalste	universalstes	universalste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der universalste	die universalste	das universalste	die universalsten
	genitive	des universalsten	der universalsten	des universalsten	der universalsten
	dative	dem universalsten	der universalsten	dem universalsten	den universalsten
	accusative	den universalsten	die universalste	das universalste	die universalsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein universalster	eine universalste	ein universalstes	(keine) universalsten
	genitive	eines universalsten	einer universalsten	eines universalsten	(keiner) universalsten
	dative	einem universalsten	einer universalsten	einem universalsten	(keinen) universalsten
	accusative	einen universalsten	eine universalste	ein universalstes	(keine) universalsten

Further reading

• “universal” in Duden online
• “universal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

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Middle English

Alternative forms

• universall, unyversal, universalle, universell, uniyversale, universele, universel

Etymology

From Old French universel, from Latin ūniversālis; equivalent to universe +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iu̯niˈvɛrsal/, /iu̯nivɛrˈsaːl/, /iu̯niˈvɛrsɛl/

Adjective

universal

1. all-encompassing, subject to everything and everyone; having universal significance.
2. (Late Middle English) absolute, subject to everything in a given area or subject (e.g. a settlement; a person)
3. (Late Middle English) frequently practiced, usual, customary.
4. (Late Middle English, rare) Given total leeway and control; with universal power.
5. (Late Middle English, rare) unbiased, unprejudiced, nonpolitical
6. (Late Middle English, rare) general, non-specific, generic
7. (Late Middle English, philosophy, rare) unformed, uncreated, unmade.
8. (Late Middle English, philosophy, rare) theoretical, abstract, general.

Derived terms

• universalite
• universally

Descendants

• English: universal

References

• “ūniversā̆l, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-31.

Noun

universal

1. (Late Middle English, philosophy, rare) A category, class, or classification.

Descendants

• English: universal

References

• “ūniversā̆l, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-31.

Determiner

universal

1. (Late Middle English) The whole, all of, every portion of, all parts of.
2. (Late Middle English, rare) Every kind of; all sorts of

References

• “ūniversā̆l, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-31.

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Occitan

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Languedocien)

  (file)

Adjective

universal m (feminine singular universala, masculine plural universals, feminine plural universalas)

1. universal

Derived terms

• universalament

Related terms

• univèrs
• universalitat

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Old French

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Adjective

universal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular universale)

1. universal

Descendants

• French: universel
• → Middle English: universal, universall, unyversal, universalle, universell, uniyversale, universele, universel
  • English: universal

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Piedmontese

Alternative forms

• üniversal

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ynivɛrˈsal/

Adjective

universal

1. universal

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Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /u.ni.veʁˈsaw/ [u.ni.vehˈsaʊ̯]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /u.ni.veʁˈsaw/ [u.ni.vehˈsaʊ̯]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /u.ni.veɾˈsaw/ [u.ni.veɾˈsaʊ̯]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /u.ni.veʁˈsaw/ [u.ni.veχˈsaʊ̯]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /u.ni.veɻˈsaw/ [u.ni.veɻˈsaʊ̯]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /u.ni.vɨɾˈsal/ [u.ni.vɨɾˈsaɫ]

• Hyphenation: u‧ni‧ver‧sal

Adjective

universal m or f (plural universais, comparable, comparative maisuniversal, superlative o maisuniversal or universalíssimo)

1. (relational) universe; universal
2. common to all society; universal; world-wide
3. common to all members of a group or class; universal

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:universal.

Derived terms

• universalmente

Related terms

• universalidade
• universo

Further reading

• “universal” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913

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Romanian

Etymology

From French universel, from Latin universalis.

Adjective

universal m or n (feminine singular universală, masculine plural universali, feminine and neuter plural universale)

1. universal

Declension

Declension of universal

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative/ accusative	indefinite	universal		universală	universali	universale
	definite	universalul		universala	universalii	universalele
genitive/ dative	indefinite	universal		universale	universali	universale
	definite	universalului		universalei	universalilor	universalelor

Related terms

• univers
• universalitate

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Spanish

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /unibeɾˈsal/ [u.ni.β̞eɾˈsal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: u‧ni‧ver‧sal

Adjective

universal (plural universales)

1. universal

Derived terms

• alicates universales
• historia universal
• ley universal
• sufragio universal
• universalmente

 

Related terms

• universalidad
• universo

Further reading

• “universal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Anagrams

• vulneráis