generality

American  

[jen-uh-ral-i-tee] / ˌdʒɛn əˈræl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

generalities

1. an indefinite, unspecific, or undetailed statement.

   to speak in generalities about human rights.

   Synonyms:

   banality, platitude, cliché, truism

2. a general principle, rule, or law.

3. the greater part or majority.

   the generality of people.

4. the state or quality of being general.

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generality British  

/ ˌdʒɛnəˈrælɪtɪ /

noun

1. a principle or observation having general application, esp when imprecise or unable to be proved

2. the state or quality of being general

3. archaic the majority

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Etymology

Origin of generality

1400–50; late Middle English generalite < Latin generālitās. See general, -ity

Explanation

If your mom says, "What have you been up to?" and you reply, "Ah, stuff," you have used a generality. It's the opposite of being specific, of saying, "Well, I shop lifted and picked my nose." Politicians speak in generalities––they want to cut the deficit and keep taxes low, but they don't want to tell you exactly how they will do that. Generalities can also refer to conclusions we draw about the world: If you say people at baseball games like to eat hot dogs, you've used a generality. Maybe people at baseball games eat hot dogs because there's nothing else to buy.

Example Sentences

But what level of generality is appropriate for this analysis?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

This is obviously a gross generality, but it really feels true to me that people here tend to take a more optimistic tone.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2025

Yet, due to its generality, it can be applied to any social dilemma with diverse individuals, like climate change, for instance.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2024

For both the ethical reasons, and for the potential limits to its generality, Rowe said, neural networks can be problematic for the military.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2023

And I thought how every safe generality I gathered in my travels was canceled by another.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• generalization