universalism

American  

[yoo-nuh-vur-suh-liz-uhm] / ˌyu nəˈvɜr səˌlɪz əm /

noun

1. universal character; universality.

2. a universal range of knowledge, interests, or activities.

3. (initial capital letter) the doctrine that emphasizes the universal fatherhood of God and the final salvation of all souls.

---

universalism ¹ British  

/ ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a universal feature or characteristic

2. another word for universality

3. social welfare the principle that welfare services should be available to all by right, according to need, and not restricted by individual ability to pay, but funded by general contributions through taxes, rates, or national insurance payments

---

Universalism ² British  

/ ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a system of religious beliefs maintaining that all men are predestined for salvation

---

Other Word Forms

• Universalist noun

Etymology

Origin of universalism

First recorded in 1795–1805; universal + -ism

Example Sentences

It is a repudiation of cosmopolitan universalism in favor of historical continuity and particular identity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

“They will be Palestinian New Yorkers in Bay Ridge who will no longer have to contend with a politics that speaks of universalism and then makes them the exception.”

From Slate • Jan. 3, 2026

Rather, as with her other novels, there’s a softhearted universalism to Lalami’s treatment of surveillance capitalism.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2025

France does not keep any data on race and ethnicity as part of its doctrine of colorblind universalism — an approach purporting to see everyone as equal citizens.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 30, 2023

If everything does not deceive us, there were already contained in the Pharisaic theology of the age, speculations which were fitted to modify considerably the narrow view of history, and to prepare for universalism.

From History of Dogma, Volume 1 (of 7) by Buchanan, Neil