# individual

/ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəɫ/ (US) · /ˌɪndɪvˈɪdʒuːəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/individual
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a single person

noun · CEFR A2

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

For teachers: a single human being as distinct from a group, class, or family.

- The rights of the individual are just as important as the needs of the group.
- The study focuses on how the individual adapts to new social environments without the immediate support of their original community.

### 2. legal or statistical unit

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical · Academic

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

For teachers: a single physical human being as a legal subject, or a single element within a statistical population.

- In this survey, each individual was asked about their daily habits.
- The law distinguishes between the liability of the individual and the liability of the corporation they represent.

### 3. for one person

adjective · CEFR B1

meant for only one person rather than a group.

For teachers: intended for, used by, or relating to a single person rather than a collective.

- The teacher gave the students individual attention to help them with the difficult task.
- Each athlete follows an individual training programme tailored to their specific physical strengths and weaknesses.

### 4. unique or distinct

adjective · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: distinctive or characteristic of a particular person or thing.

- She has a very individual style of painting that is easy to recognise.
- The architect's individual approach to urban design often challenged the conventional standards of the period.

## Examples

- Each individual has the right to vote.
- The scholarship is awarded to a talented individual who demonstrates a strong commitment to community service.
- While the study focuses on broad social trends, it also acknowledges that every individual responds differently to economic pressure based on their personal history and resources.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.