Definition

Noun: 1. The quality or state of being universal: The condition of existing, being understood, or being applicable everywhere or in all cases. 2. The quality of involving or being shared by all people or things in the world or in a particular group: A general or widespread character, principle, or applicability.

Usage and Examples

• The universality of basic human emotions, such as joy and sadness, is a common theme in literature and psychology.
• Scientists often search for the universality of physical laws, believing they apply throughout the cosmos.
• The concept's universality made it easy to teach and apply across different cultures.
• A key goal of the declaration was to establish the universality of fundamental human rights.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Philosophical Context: In philosophy, universality often refers to a principle or truth that is valid for all cases of a given type, without exception. For example, the search for universal moral laws.
• Scientific Context: In science, particularly in physics, universality describes phenomena where different systems exhibit identical statistical behavior, such as in phase transitions.
• "Claim to universality": A phrase used when something (e.g., a theory, a right, a value) asserts that it applies to everyone, everywhere. This claim is often debated.

Variants and Related Words

• Universal (adjective): Of, relating to, or characteristic of all or the whole.
• Universally (adverb): In a way that involves or is understood by everyone, everywhere.
• Universalize (verb): To make something universal in application or scope.

Synonyms

• Generality: The quality of being general or widespread.
• Ubiquity: The state of being everywhere at once (often for physical presence, while is often for concepts).
• Commonality: The state of sharing features or attributes.
• Pervasiveness: The quality of spreading widely throughout an area or group.

Antonyms

• Particularity: The quality of being individual or specific.
• Specificity: The quality of belonging or relating uniquely to a particular subject.
• Exclusivity: The state of being limited to a particular person, group, or area.

Noun

1. the quality of being universal; existing everywhere