individuation

American  

[in-duh-vij-oo-ey-shuhn] / ˌɪn dəˌvɪdʒ uˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of individuating.

2. state of being individuated; individual existence; individuality.

3. Philosophy. the determination or contraction of a general nature to an individual mode of existence; development of the individual from the general.

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individuation British  

/ ˌɪndɪˌvɪdjʊˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of individuating

2. (in the psychology of Jung) the process by which the wholeness of the individual is established through the integration of consciousness and the collective unconscious

3. zoology the development of separate but mutually interdependent units, as in the development of zooids forming a colony

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Other Word Forms

• deindividuation noun

Etymology

Origin of individuation

First recorded in 1620–30; individuate + -ion

Example Sentences

And “Cecilia” obliquely questions consent by juxtaposing predators and prey and considering the individuation of memory.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2024

While the stadium's proportions would seem to render any slivers of individuation downright impossible, there are two factors that work in Swift's favor.

From Salon • Oct. 13, 2023

Reading Carl Jung’s theory of individuation, the development of self-realization, led her to see her seven chickens as one continuous being, always in communication with wild birds.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 7, 2023

When you understand that your child’s brain is under construction, and when you understand the individuation process, your lens will change when you see these behaviors.

From Washington Post • Dec. 28, 2022

Writing of numbers and individuation reminds me of companies which will name a star after anyone who pays a $35 fee.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Related Words

• answer
• explanation
• interpretation
• rationale
• solution
• translation