1. Of worldwide scope or applicability
   "universal experience";
   - cosmopolitan, ecumenical, oecumenical [archaic], general, worldwide, world-wide, global
    
2. Applicable to or common to all members of a group or set
   "the play opened to universal acclaim"; "rap enjoys universal appeal among teenage boys"
    
3. Adapted to various purposes, sizes, forms, operations
   "universal screwdriver"; "universal wrench"; "universal chuck"

1. (linguistics) a grammatical rule (or other linguistic feature) that is found in all languages
   "The presence of nouns and verbs is considered a linguistic universal";
   - linguistic universal
    
2. (logic) a proposition that asserts something of all members of a class
   "'All humans are mortal' is a classic example of a universal proposition";
   - universal proposition
    
3. A behavioral convention or pattern characteristic of all members of a particular culture or of all human beings
   "some form of religion seems to be a human universal"
    
4. Coupling that connects two rotating shafts allowing freedom of movement in all directions
   "in motor vehicles a universal joint allows the driveshaft to move up and down as the vehicle passes over bumps";
   - universal joint

Derived forms: universals

See also: adaptable, comprehensive, general

Type of: convention, coupler, coupling, formula, linguistic rule, normal, pattern, proposition, rule

Antonym: particular

Part of: drive line, drive line system

Encyclopedia: Universal, In