universal
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.existing everywhere or involving everyone in the world or a specific group.
adj.relating to or affecting the entire world or all people within a particular group.
Simple“The desire for a happy life is a universal human feeling.”
In context“The committee argued that access to clean water should be recognized as a universal human right, regardless of a nation's economic status.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.designed to be used for many different purposes or to fit many different things.
adj.capable of being used for various purposes or adapted to different sizes and shapes.
Simple“I bought a universal remote that works with the TV and the DVD player.”
In context“The technician recommended a universal mounting bracket, as it was compatible with several different monitor brands.”
Antonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a quality or feature that many different things have in common.
n.a property or characteristic that is shared by all members of a class or group of particular things.
Simple“Philosophers often discuss whether 'redness' is a universal that exists on its own.”
In context“The debate centered on whether beauty is a true universal or merely a subjective experience that varies between cultures.”
UsageOften used in contrast with 'particulars' in philosophical logic.
Teacher's tipThis is a highly specialized sense; students will likely only encounter it in academic texts regarding logic or metaphysics.
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage universal credit · universal healthcare
“At any rate, the researchers were unable to detect a universal "social media effect" across regions and platforms.”
“He added: "This new class of universal vaccines are future-proofed.”
From Middle English universal, from Old French universal (modern French universel), from Latin ūniversālis, equivalent to universe + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.