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Universal vs Widespread - What's the difference?

universal | widespread |

Widespread is a synonym of universal.



As adjectives the difference between universal and widespread

is that universal is of or pertaining to the universe while widespread is affecting a large area (e.g. the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.

As a noun universal

is a characteristic or property that particular things have in common.

universal

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of or pertaining to the universe.
  • Common to all members of a group or class.
  • *
  • *
  • Common to all society; world-wide
    • She achieved universal fame.
  • Cosmic; unlimited; vast; infinite
  • Useful for many purposes, e.g., universal wrench .

    • Derived terms

    * universalise, universalize * universal quantifier

    Related terms

    * universe * university

    Antonyms

    * nonuniversal

    See also

    * (wikipedia "universal") * general * global

    External links

    * *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (philosophy) A characteristic or property that particular things have in common.
  • *
  • * {{quote-book, year=1970, title=Speech acts, author=John R. Searle
    • , passage=We might also distinguish those expressions which are used to refer to individuals or particulars from those which are used to refer to what philosophers have called universals : e.g., to distinguish such expressions as "Everest" and "this chair" from "the number three", "the color red" and "drunkenness". citation

    See also

    * particular

    External links

    * * The Medieval Problem of Universals - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy ----

    widespread

    English

    Adjective

  • Affecting a large area (e.g. the entire land or body); broad in extent; widely diffused.
  • *
  • *:It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. He wore shepherd's plaid trousers and the swallow-tail coat of the day, with a figured muslin cravat wound about his wide-spread collar.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
    • , volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic

    Synonyms

    * extensive, pervasive, prevalent, ubiquitous, universal

    Antonyms

    * limited