generality

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

[edit]

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Middle English generalite, from Middle French generalité.

Pronunciation

[edit]
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌd͡ʒɛn.əˈɹæl.ɪ.ti/
  • (US, Canada) IPA(key): /ˌd͡ʒɛn.əˈɹæl.ə.ti/, [ˌd͡ʒɛn.əˈɹæl.ə.ɾi]
    • Audio (US):(file)
  • (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˌd͡ʒen.əˈɹæl.ə.ti/, [ˌd͡ʒen.əˈɹæl.ə.ɾi]
  • Rhymes: -ælɪti

Noun

[edit]

generality (countable and uncountable, plural generalities)

  1. (uncountable) The quality of being general.
  2. (uncountable) The population in general.
    • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Asking for an Invitation”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. [], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, [], →OCLC, page 25:
      "You must not come to me," answered her listener, "for a defence of society; I have long since loathed its bitterness as much as I despise its baseness. You cannot know the miserably mean motives that actuate the generality; but the trifles so sought give their own narrowness to the mind."
  3. (countable) A generalization.
    He was very vague, speaking only in generalities.

Synonyms

[edit]

Derived terms

[edit]

Translations

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

Further reading

[edit]