- universal
- I(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)adj. comprehensive, catholic, ecumenical; popular, general; cosmic; global, worldwide. See generality, universe, knowledge, thought.II(Roget's IV) modif.1. [Concerning the universe]Syn. cosmic, stellar, celestial, empyrean, sidereal, astronomical, cosmogonal.2. [Worldwide]Syn. tellurian, mundane, earthly, terrestrial, sublunary, terrene, human, worldly.Ant. local*, restricted, district.3. [General]Syn. general, entire, all-embracing, prevalent, customary, usual, whole, sweeping, extensive, comprehensive, total, unlimited, limitless, endless, vast, widespread, catholic, ecumenical, common, regular, generic, undisputed, accepted, unrestricted.Ant. specialized*, limited, peculiar.Syn.- universal implies applicability to every case or individual, without exception, in the class, category, etc. concerned [ a universal practice among primitive peoples ] ; general implies applicability to all, nearly all, or most of a group or class [ a general election ] ; generic implies applicability to every member of a class or, specif. in biology, of a genus [ a generic characteristic of Homo sapiens, aspirin has become a generic term for acetylsalicylic acid ]III(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) a.general, generic, common, catholic, all-inclusive, comprehensive, all-over, worldwide, planetary, intercontinental, pandemic, global, widespread, broad, prevalent, unlimited, unrestricted.ANT.: local, exclusive, limited, restrictedIV(Roget's Thesaurus II) I adjective 1. So pervasive and all-inclusive as to exist in or affect the whole world: catholic, cosmic, cosmopolitan, ecumenical, global, pandemic, planetary, worldwide. See LIMITED, SPECIFIC. 2. Ever present in all places: omnipresent, ubiquitous. See LIMITED, SPECIFIC. 3. Belonging or relating to the whole: common, general, generic. See SPECIFIC. II noun A broad and basic rule or truth: axiom, fundamental, law, principle, theorem. See ORDER.
English dictionary for students. 2013.