universal
n. countablen. a rule, idea, or quality that is true for everyone or everything in the world. It is something that stays the same no matter where you are or who you talk to.
n. a principle, characteristic, or concept that is applicable to all members of a class or to all people across different cultures. Often used in philosophical contexts to describe properties that exist independently of specific instances.
Kindness is often considered a human universal.
The philosopher argued that certain moral laws are universals that apply to every society regardless of its history.
In the debate over realism, scholars question whether a universal like 'redness' exists as an abstract entity or merely as a linguistic label for similar sensory experiences.
From Middle English universal, from Old French universal (modern French universel), from Latin ūniversālis, equivalent to universe + -al.
Frequently used in the plural form ('universals') when discussing abstract concepts in philosophy or linguistics.