English Reference

Word

universality

Phoneticsuni·ver·sal·i·ty

US/ˌjunəvɝˈsæɫəti/

UK/jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsˈælɪti/

Definition

n. the quality of being true or common for everyone. It describes something that applies to all people or things in the same way.

n. the quality of being applicable to all people or things at all times; the state of being common to all members of a group.

Examples

“The universality of love is a common theme in poetry.”

“The researcher argued that the universality of the findings was limited because the study only included participants from one country.”

“While the specific symptoms of the illness varied by region, the universality of the underlying biological mechanism allowed for a single, effective treatment to be developed globally.”

Examples

simple

“The universality of love is a common theme in poetry.”

contextual

“The researcher argued that the universality of the findings was limited because the study only included participants from one country.”

complex

“While the specific symptoms of the illness varied by region, the universality of the underlying biological mechanism allowed for a single, effective treatment to be developed globally.”

Real-World Examples

“He confesses to a certain obsession with the darkest chapters of German history, but primarily for the universality of their nightmarish resonance.”
The Guardian · 3 Sept 2026
“The script combines the specificity of this situation – and the pity and ridicule Keron faces not just from strangers but also friends – with a striking universality for other relationships.”
The Guardian · 12 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English universalite, from Middle French universalité, from Old French, from Late Latin universalitas. By surface analysis, universal + -ity.

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

Word family

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference