universal
/ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.49 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
4
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Of or pertaining to the universe.
adj
Useful for many purposes; all-purpose.
noun
A characteristic or property that particular things have in common.
Example Sentences
- "In Logic, the letter A is used as a symbol for the universal affirmative proposition in the general form "all x is y.""
- "I had been planning every day through these years toward a universal car."
- "Eventually, the railway opened on Monday, December 14, 1896, with a universal fare of 1d. collected at the turnstiles, and conditions were immediately chaotic, as many passengers travelled round and round, and refused to leave the cars."
- "Sutton SignWriting is the universal and complete solution for written sign language, ISO 15924 script code "Sgnw"."
- "She achieved universal fame."
- "[John] Dryden's univerſal genius, his firmly eſtablished reputation, and the glory his memory muſt always reflect upon the nation that gave him birth, make us ardently wiſh for a more accurate life of him than any which has hitherto appeared: […]"
Etymology
From Middle English universal, from Old French universal (modern French universel), from Latin ūniversālis, equivalent to universe + -al.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: universal, ūniversālis
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/
- British English: /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsl̩/