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)

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

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:

     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, 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

• abstract universal
• inter-universal Teichmüller theory
• last universal ancestor
• Saybolt universal second
• universal algebra
• universal arithmetic
• universal bank
• universal banking
• universal basic income
• universal chuck
• universal credit
• universal design
• universal design for instruction
• universal donor
• universal grammar
• universal grinder
• universal instrument
• universalise, universalize
• universal joint
• universal jurisdiction
• universal language
• universal lever
• universally
• universal masking
• universal mind
• universal morphism
• universal opportunity
• universal packager
• universal product code
• universal property
• universal quantifier
• universal set
• universal shunt
• universal solvent
• universal sorter
• universal suffrage
• universal Turing machine
• universal value
• universal veil

 

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)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: گەردوونی (gerdûnî)

• Malayalam: ലോക (ml) (lōka), വിശ്വ (ml) (viśva)
• 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), οἰκουμενῐκός (oikoumenikós)

• Irish: comhchoiteann
• Japanese: 普遍的 (ja) (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), համընդհանուր (hy) (haməndhanur)
• Belarusian: агу́льны (be) (ahúlʹny)
• Bulgarian: всео́бщ (bg) (vseóbšt)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 全世界的 (quánshìjiè de)

• Dutch: universeel (nl), wereldwijd (nl)
• Esperanto: universala
• Finnish: maailmanlaajuinen (fi)
• French: universel (fr)
• Galician: universal (gl)
• German: weltweit (de), Welt-, universell (de)
• Greek: παγκόσμιος (el) (pagkósmios)

  Ancient: καθολικός (katholikós), οἰκουμενῐκός (oikoumenikós)

• 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) (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 (ʕālamiyy)
• 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

• general
• global

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^[1]:

     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".

   • 2021, Meghan O'Gieblyn, chapter 11, in God, Human, Animal, Machine […] , →ISBN:

     Empiricism was similarly a response to this loss of universals—a radically contingent world with no underlying order must constantly be studied and tested—and made God himself unnecessary: divine spirit and human spirit were alien enough to each other that they could function without taking each other into account.

See also

• particular

Further reading

• “universal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “universal”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• S:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Universals
• The Medieval Problem of Universals - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ūniversālis. First attested in c. 1400.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [u.ni.βərˈsal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [u.ni.vərˈsal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [u.ni.veɾˈsal]

Adjective

universal m or f (masculine and feminine plural universals)

1. universal

Derived terms

• universalment

Related terms

• univers
• universalitat

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.

Crimean Tatar

Adjective

universal

1. universal

References

• “universal”, in Luğatçıq (in Russian)

Danish

Adjective

universal

1. Alternative spelling of universel

Inflection

Inflection of universal

	positive	comparative	superlative
indefinite common singular	universal	—	—2
indefinite neuter singular	universalt	—	—2
plural	universale	—	—2
definite attributive1	universale	—	—

¹ When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
² The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

References

• “universal” in Den Danske Ordbog

Galician

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

universal m or f (plural universais)

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

   Synonym: mundial

Derived terms

• universalmente

Related terms

• universalidade
• universo

Further reading

• “universal”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2024
• “universal” in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (2014).

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
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
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
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

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.

Occitan

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Languedoc):

  (file)

Adjective

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

1. universal

Derived terms

• universalament

Related terms

• univèrs
• universalitat

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

Piedmontese

Alternative forms

• üniversal

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ynivɛrˈsal/

Adjective

universal

1. universal

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]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /u.ni.vɨɾˈsal/ [u.ni.vɨɾˈsaɫ]
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /u.ni.bɨɾˈsal/ [u.ni.βɨɾˈsaɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /u.ni.vɨɾˈsa.li/

• Hyphenation: u‧ni‧ver‧sal

Adjective

universal m or f (plural universais, comparable, comparative mais universal, superlative o mais universal 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
   • 1999, Os pecados da língua: pequeno repertório de grandes erros de linguagem, Editora AGE Ltda., →ISBN, page 114:

     Símbolos
     ☞ Não se usa o ponto indicativo de abreviação: km, m l, kg.
     ☞ Têm formas iguais para singular e plural.
     ☞ São de uso universal e irrestrito.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

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

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French universel, from Latin universalis. By surface analysis, univers +‎ -al.

Adjective

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

1. universal

Declension

		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

• universalitate

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin ūniversālis.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

universal m or f (masculine and feminine plural universales)

1. universal

Derived terms

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

 

Related terms

• universalidad
• universo

 

Further reading

• “universal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Anagrams

• vulneráis