Dictionary / universe
universe
- noun
- from Old French
The sum of everything that exists in the cosmos.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “universe” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- The sum of everything that exists in the cosmos.
Do you think that the universe was created by a life force or a deity?
- The sum of everything that exists in the cosmos.An entity similar to our universe; one component of a larger entity known as the multiverse.
- Everything under consideration.
In all this universe of possibilities, there is only one feasible option.
- Everything under consideration.The set of all things considered.
- Everything under consideration.The set of all admissible observations.
In general content-related evidence demonstrates the degree to which the sample of items, tasks or questions on a test is representative of some defined universe or domain of content.2005, Dato de Gruijter, Leo van der Kamp, Statistical Test Theory for Education and psychology, page 79:
- Everything under consideration.A sample taken from the population.
- An imaginary collection of worlds; the general imaginary world within which a work of fiction takes place, broader than its immediate setting.
The universe in this comic book series is richly imagined.
- An imaginary collection of worlds; the general imaginary world within which a work of fiction takes place, broader than its immediate setting.A collection of stories with characters and settings that typically share a continuity but are less interrelated than those of sequels or prequels.
- A whole world, in the sense of perspective or social setting.
That didn’t just rock my world, it rocked my universe.
- A deity who is equivalent to the sum of everything that exists in the cosmos.
The universe wants you to succeed.
Older & obsolete senses (1)
- archaicThe Earth, the sphere of the world.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (3)
- nouneverything that exists anywhere — also: existence, creation, world, cosmos, macrocosm
- noun(statistics) the entire aggregation of items from which samples can be drawn — also: population
- nouneverything stated or assumed in a given discussion — also: universe of discourse
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)universe
- Middle Englishuniverse
- Old Frenchunivers
- Latinuniversum “all things, as a whole, the universe”
- Latinuni-
From Middle English universe, from Old French univers, from Latin universum (“all things, as a whole, the universe”), neuter of universus (“all together, whole, entire, collective, general, literally turned or combined into one”), from uni-, combining form of unus (“one”) + versus (“turned”), perfect passive participle of vertō (“to turn”). Analyzable as uni- + -verse through backformation of -verse.
Derivatives — words built from “universe”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “universe” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “universe” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
universe n. [L. universum, from universus universal; unus one + vertere, versum, to turn, that is, turned into one, combined into one whole; cf. F. univers. See One, and Verse.]
- All created things viewed as constituting one system or whole; the whole body of things, or of phenomena; the to~ pa^n of the Greeks, the mundus of the Latins; the world; creation.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: The sum of everything that exists in the cosmos.
Do you think that the universe was created by a life force or a deity?
nounMeaning: Everything under consideration.
In all this universe of possibilities, there is only one feasible option.
nounMeaning: The set of all admissible observations.
In general content-related evidence demonstrates the degree to which the sample of items, tasks or questions on a test is representative of some defined universe or domain of content.2005, Dato de Gruijter, Leo van der Kamp, Statistical Test Theory for Education and psychology, page 79:
nounMeaning: An imaginary collection of worlds; the general imaginary world within which a work of fiction takes place, broader than its immediate setting.
The universe in this comic book series is richly imagined.
nounMeaning: A whole world, in the sense of perspective or social setting.
That didn’t just rock my world, it rocked my universe.
nounMeaning: A deity who is equivalent to the sum of everything that exists in the cosmos.
The universe wants you to succeed.
nounMeaning: everything that exists anywhere
they study the evolution of the universe
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
universe
/ˈjuːnɪˌvɜːs/
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
universe
/ˈjuːnɪˌvɜːs/ · noun
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “universe” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“Do you think that the universe was created by a life force or a deity?”
Circle the meaning used.
“In all this universe of possibilities, there is only one feasible option.”
Circle the meaning used.
“The universe in this comic book series is richly imagined.”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “universe” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Latin universum. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — universe
Which meaning, sentence 1: A. The sum of everything that exists in the cosmos.
Which meaning, sentence 2: B. Everything under consideration.
Which meaning, sentence 3: C. An imaginary collection of worlds; the general imaginary world within which a work of fiction takes place, broader than its immediate setting.
Origin: D. Old French (Old French univers)
Journey: English universe ← Middle English universe ← Old French univers ← Latin universum ← Latin uni-
Some derivatives: cyberverse, superuniverse, Universe, Thronesiverse, universeful, universewide, universism, universist
Original meaning: Latin universum — “all things, as a whole, the universe”
Etymology: From Middle English universe, from Old French univers, from Latin universum (“all things, as a whole, the universe”), neuter of universus (“all together, whole, entire, collective, general, literally turned or combined into one”), from uni-, combining form of unus (“one”) + versus (“turned”), perfect passive participle of vertō (“to turn”). Analyzable as uni- + -verse through backformation of -verse.
Sources: Wiktionary “universe” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/universe#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/universe