Webster's English Dictionary

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universal

1. uni.ver.sal \.yu:-n*-'v*r-s*l\ \-s(*-)le-\ \-s*l-n*s\ aj 1: including or 
   covering all or a whole collectively or distributively wit hout limit or 
   exception 2a: present or occurring everywhere  2b: existent or operative 
   everywhere or under all conditions {~ cu ltural patterns} 3a: embracing a 
   major part or the greatest portion {a ~ state} <(~ practices} {food is a ~ 
   need} 3b: comprehensively broad and versatile {a ~ genius}  4a: affirming 
   or denying something of all members of a class {~ af firmative} or of all 
   values of a variable {~ quantifier} 4b: denoting every member of a class {~ 
   term}  5: adapted or adjustable to meet varied requirements (as of use, 
   shape, or  size) {a ~ gear cutter} all or the whole. UNIVERSAL implies 
   reference to every one without exception in the class, category, or genus 
   considered; GENERAL implies reference to all or nearly all {the theory has 
   met general but not universal acceptance} GENERIC implies reference to 
   every member of a genus {generic likenesses between all dogs} - 
   uni.ver.sal.ly av SYN syn UNIVERSAL, GENERAL, GENERIC mean of or relating 
   to 
2. universal n 1a: a universal proposition in logic  1b: a predicable of 
   traditional logic  1c: a general concept or term or something in reality to 
   which it correspon ds : ESSENCE 2a: a mode of behavior existing in all 
   cultures  2b: a culture trait characteristic of all normal adult members of 
   a particu lar society