adjective
universal
yoo-nih-VURSL
adjective
1
Applying to or shared by everyone or everything in a group.
"Clean water should be a universal right, not a privilege."
"The film has universal appeal, popular with kids and adults alike."
2
Relating to the universe as a whole.
"Gravity is a universal force acting on every object with mass."
3
Designed to work in many different situations or with many different things.
"The adapter is universal, so it fits sockets from any country."
How to Use Universal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTrue for, or usable by, everyone or everything, not just a select few.
Common pairings
universal truth
universal appeal
universal remote
universal healthcare
Word Forms
more universal comparative, universals plural, most universal superlative
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Clean water should be a _____ right, not a privilege.
Etymology
From Old French universal, from Latin universalis, built from universus ("all together, whole") — the same root as "universe."