universe

American  

[yoo-nuh-vurs] / ˈju nəˌvɜrs /

noun

universes plural

1. the universe. the totality of known or supposed objects and phenomena throughout space; the cosmos; macrocosm.

2. the whole world, especially with reference to humanity.

   a truth known throughout the universe.

3. a world or sphere in which something exists or prevails.

   his private universe.

4. in New Age philosophy and popular culture, a divine but nonpersonal being, consciousness, or field of energy believed to connect everything that is, allowing the interaction of the physical with the spiritual and thought with reality.

5. Also called universe of discourse.  Logic. the aggregate of all the objects, attributes, and relations assumed or implied in a given discussion.

6. Also called universal set.  Mathematics. the set of all elements under discussion for a given problem.

7. Statistics. the entire population under study.

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universe British  

/ ˈjuːnɪˌvɜːs /

noun

1. astronomy the aggregate of all existing matter, energy, and space

2. human beings collectively

3. a province or sphere of thought or activity

4. statistics another word for population

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universe Scientific  

/ yo̅o̅′nə-vûrs′ /

1. The totality of matter, energy, and space, including the Solar System, the galaxies, and the contents of the space between the galaxies. Current theories of cosmology suggest that the universe is constantly expanding.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subuniverse
  noun
• superuniverse
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• universes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of universe

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Old French univers, from Latin ūniversum, noun use of neuter of ūniversus “all, entire,” literally, “turned into one,” from ūni- uni- + versus “turned” (past participle of vertere “to turn”)

Explanation

Universe is a big word — in fact, it includes all matter and all of space. We can't see or know much about the outer limits of the universe, but we know that it has them, and the idea of matter contained within boundaries gives us other meanings for the word. You might refer to a "universe of ideas," or when conducting a scientific study, create "a universe of data." Universe can also mean a defined set of something — the five blocks between the playground and home can be the whole universe for a small child.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

universe universes

The only way to see him is by staring straight up—but even then, much like the secrets of the universe, you can never get a full view.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

But in the latest installment from the Marvel cinematic universe, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Parker - played by Tom Holland - is not the only star in disguise.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

Current surveys typically detect about 30 tidal disruption events across the universe each year.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

Although Weger says she isn’t a “woo-woo person,” she believes her apartment and store came from asking the universe for what she wanted.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

At least no one’s around to see that—this epic failure is between me and the universe.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

The process begins with scientists generating large numbers of simulated universes based on physical models.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 29, 2026

That may help explain how we wound up with “Alice in Wonderland”-style competing proclamations that made it sound as if Xi and Trump had been in different conversations, or perhaps different universes.

From Salon ● May 17, 2026

One posits the existence of billions of universes, arguing that happenstance alone accounts for the improbability of our inhabiting this one.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

“Across large-cap, small-cap, and broad-market universes, stocks that double rapidly tend to underperform over the subsequent 36 months,” they wrote.

From Barron's ● Apr. 6, 2026

It always felt like he had entire universes of knowledge and wisdom swirling behind his eyes.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy