universal

adjective uni·ver·sal \ ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-səl \

Updated on: 9 May 2018

1 : including or covering all or a whole collectively or distributively without limit or exception; especially : available equitably to all members of a society

universal health coverage

2 a : present or occurring everywhere

b : existent or operative everywhere or under all conditions

universal cultural patterns

3 a : embracing a major part or the greatest portion (as of humankind)

a universal state

universal practices

b : comprehensively broad and versatile

a universal genius

4 a : affirming or denying something of all members of a class or of all values of a variable

b : denoting every member of a class

a universal term

5 : adapted or adjustable to meet varied requirements (as of use, shape, or size)

a universal gear cutter

a universal remote control

—

universally

play \ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-s(ə-)lē\ adverb

—

universalness

play \ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-səl-nəs\ noun

See universal defined for English-language learners

See universal defined for kids

Examples of universal in a Sentence

an idea with universal appeal
a pattern that is universal across all cultures

Recent Examples of universal from the Web

Yet polls show that people in this country overwhelmingly favor measures like universal background checks and tighter rules that keep weapons out of the hands of the mentally unstable and the criminally menacing.

— clyde haberman, New York Times, "Do Stronger Gun Laws Stand a Chance? It’s Been an Uphill Battle.," 29 Apr. 2018
Organizers of those protests demanded a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and called for universal background checks on potential gun owners.

— randall chase, BostonGlobe.com, "Gun rights advocates rally at state capitols across US," 14 Apr. 2018
Organizers of those protests demanded a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and called for universal background checks on potential gun owners.

— randall chase, chicagotribune.com, "3 weeks after March for Our Lives, gun rights advocates rally at state capitols across U.S.," 14 Apr. 2018
None of the 10 best states has an ERPO law or mandatory universal background checks.

— dan roe, SELF, "Why Aren't We Talking About Suicide When We Talk About Gun Violence?," 13 Apr. 2018
Nelson has advocated for universal background checks and a ban on certain types of semi-automatic rifles.

— kaitlyn schallhorn, Fox News, "Florida Senate race between Scott, Nelson expected to be competitive, costly," 16 Apr. 2018
The meeting was focused on ways supporters can get involved to help enact what the group called common sense gun regulations such as universal background checks.

— frank vaisvilas, Daily Southtown, "Gun control meeting goes smoothly despite rifle group's 'urgent action alert' about Palos Heights event," 14 Apr. 2018
But clearly optimism is not universal, even among teenagers.

— john sides, Washington Post, "New poll: Most teenagers and adults think arming teachers is dangerous, favor minimum age for buying assault rifles," 9 Mar. 2018
But the prospect of encouraging the dialect in the classroom elicited national, and near-universal, censure.

— william brennan, The Atlantic, "Julie Washington’s Quest to Get Schools to Respect African-American English," 8 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'universal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of universal

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin universalis, from universum universe

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

universal Synonyms

universal

noun

1 : one that is universal: such as

a : a universal proposition in logic

b : a predicable of traditional logic

c : a general concept or term or something in reality to which it corresponds : essence

2 a : a behavior pattern or institution (such as the family) existing in all cultures

b : a culture trait characteristic of all normal adult members of a particular society

Recent Examples of universal from the Web

Patriarchal capitalism has arguably had a vested interest in promoting the latter idea as a human universal: as the Marxist psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich pointed out, with women providing free housework and caregiving, capitalists could pay men less.

— kathryn schulz, The New Yorker, "Japan’s Rent-a-Family Industry," 23 Apr. 2018
Like any good storyteller, Sean Dorsey has a knack for distilling the universal from the specific.

— claudia bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, "San Francisco’s Sean Dorsey Dance unpacks ‘boy trouble’," 12 Apr. 2018
But values are rooted in emotion and experience as well as reason, in the local as well as the universal.

— alison gopnik, The Atlantic, "When Truth and Reason Are No Longer Enough," 17 Mar. 2018
Though these words, from the pen of Hans Christian Andersen, are an appealing notion, the idea that there might be universals in music which transcend cultural boundaries has generally been met with scepticism by scholars working in the field.

— The Economist, "EthnomusicologyMusic may be the food of love, but oddly, is not its language," 25 Jan. 2018
Brissett earned universal praised from coaches and teammates after the loss.

— zak keefer, Indianapolis Star, "Colts vs. Browns: 5 things I think," 23 Sep. 2017
The sailor and the nurse were intended as universals, and they are best seen that way.

— Time, "Celebrating Legendary LIFE Photo Editor John G. Morris," 28 July 2017
That said, this inclusive, open-hearted play, fundamentally and determinedly, traffics in universals.

— chris jones, chicagotribune.com, "Review: A bright, doomed relationship, laid bare in 'Bright Half Life'," 2 June 2017
But Brizé knows that for his story to resonate, the specific must trump the universal at every turn.

— justin chang, latimes.com, "Stéphane Brizé's 19th century drama 'A Woman's Life' spins a wise, wrenching tragedy," 11 May 2017

First Known Use of universal

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

UNIVERSAL Defined for English Language Learners

universal

adjective

: done or experienced by everyone : existing or available for everyone
: existing or true at all times or in all places

UNIVERSAL Defined for Kids

universal

adjective uni·ver·sal \ ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-səl \

1 : including, covering, or taking in all or everything

universal medical care

2 : present or happening everywhere

universal celebration

—

universally

adverb

Law Dictionary

universal

adjective uni·ver·sal \ ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-səl \

1 in the civil law of Louisiana

a : encompassing or burdening all of one's property especially causa mortis

granted him a universal usufruct

— see also universal legacy at legacy — compare universal title at title

b : of or relating to a universal conveyance or a conveyance under a universal title

a universal donee

— see also universal successor

2 : not confined by limitations or exceptions : general in application

—

universally

adverb

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