English Reference
noun · adjective

individual

n. · adj.
US /ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəɫ/ UK /ˌɪndɪvˈɪdʒuːəl/ in·di·vid·u·al UK spelling individual's, individual's

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.one person, considered separately from the rest of their group or society.

    n.a single human being as distinct from a group, class, or family.

    Simple

    The rights of the individual are just as important as the needs of the group.

    In context

    The study focuses on how the individual adapts to new social environments without the immediate support of their original community.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate TechnicalAcademic Law

    n.a single person or thing used as a unit in law, science, or math.

    n.a single physical human being as a legal subject, or a single element within a statistical population.

    Simple

    In this survey, each individual was asked about their daily habits.

    In context

    The law distinguishes between the liability of the individual and the liability of the corporation they represent.

  3. 03 B1 Intermediate

    adj.meant for only one person rather than a group.

    adj.intended for, used by, or relating to a single person rather than a collective.

    Simple

    The teacher gave the students individual attention to help them with the difficult task.

    In context

    Each athlete follows an individual training programme tailored to their specific physical strengths and weaknesses.

  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.having a special quality that makes someone or something different from others.

    adj.distinctive or characteristic of a particular person or thing.

    Simple

    She has a very individual style of painting that is easy to recognise.

    In context

    The architect's individual approach to urban design often challenged the conventional standards of the period.

Usage individual replies · individual choose · individual engage


PIE word *dwóh₁ From Medieval Latin indīviduālis, from Latin indīviduum (“an indivisible thing”), neuter of indīviduus (“indivisible, undivided”), from in + dīviduus (“divisible”), from dīvidō (“divide”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin indīviduum
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Very common
Updated