Printer Friendly
The Free Dictionary
902,582,921 visitors served.
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

individual

   Also found in: Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
in·di·vid·u·al  (nd-vj-l)
adj.
1.
a. Of or relating to an individual, especially a single human: individual consciousness.
b. By or for one person: individual work; an individual portion.
2. Existing as a distinct entity; separate: individual drops of rain.
3.
a. Marked by or expressing individuality; distinctive or individualistic: an individual way of dressing.
b. Special; particular: Each variety of melon has its individual flavor and texture.
c. Serving to identify or set apart: "There was nothing individual about him except a deep scar ... across his right cheek" Rebecca West.
n.
1.
a. A single human considered apart from a society or community: the rights of the individual.
b. A human regarded as a unique personality: always treated her clients as individuals.
c. A person distinguished from others by a special quality.
d. Usage Problem A person.
2. A single animal or plant as distinguished from a species, community, or group.
3. A member of a collection or set; a specimen.

[Middle English, single, indivisible, from Old French, from Medieval Latin indvidulis, from Latin indviduus : in-, not; see in-1 + dviduus, divisible (from dvidere, to divide).]

indi·vidu·al·ly adv.
Usage Note: The noun individual is normally used to refer to an individual person as opposed to a larger social group or as distinguished from others by some special quality: This is not only a crisis of individuals, but also of a society Raymond Williams. She is a real individual. Since the 19th century, however, there have been numerous objections to the use of the word to refer simply to "person" where no larger contrast is implied, as in Two individuals were placed under arrest or The Mayor will make time for any individual who wants to talk to her. This use of individual is common in official statements, as the examples imply, and lends a formal or even pretentious tone that may be undesirable. The words person and people are acceptable, neutral options that are appropriate in almost any context.

individual
Adjective
1. of, relating to, or meant for a single person or thing: small sums from individual donors
2. separate or distinct from others of its kind: please mark the individual pages
3. characterized by unusual and striking qualities
Noun
1. a single person, esp. when regarded as distinct from others: respect for the individual
2. Informal a person: a most annoying individual
3. Biol a single animal or plant, esp. as distinct from a species [Latin individuus indivisible]
individually adv
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.individualindividual - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do"
organism, being - a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently
causal agency, causal agent, cause - any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results
personality - the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual; "their different reactions reflected their very different personalities"; "it is his nature to help others"
chassis, bod, human body, material body, physical body, physique, build, anatomy, figure, flesh, frame, shape, soma, form - alternative names for the body of a human being; "Leonardo studied the human body"; "he has a strong physique"; "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"
people - (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively; "old people"; "there were at least 200 people in the audience"
self - a person considered as a unique individual; "one's own self"
adult, grownup - a fully developed person from maturity onward
adventurer, venturer - a person who enjoys taking risks
unusual person, anomaly - a person who is unusual
applicant, applier - a person who requests or seeks something such as assistance or employment or admission
appointee, appointment - a person who is appointed to a job or position
capitalist - a person who invests capital in a business (especially a large business)
captor, capturer - a person who captures and holds people or animals
changer, modifier - a person who changes something; "an inveterate changer of the menu"
color-blind person - a person unable to distinguish differences in hue
common man, common person, commoner - a person who holds no title
communicator - a person who communicates with others
contestant - a person who participates in competitions
coward - a person who shows fear or timidity
creator - a person who grows or makes or invents things
controversialist, disputant, eristic - a person who disputes; who is good at or enjoys controversy
applied scientist, engineer, technologist - a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
entertainer - a person who tries to please or amuse
experimenter - a person who enjoys testing innovative ideas; "she was an experimenter in new forms of poetry"
expert - a person with special knowledge or ability who performs skillfully
face - a part of a person that is used to refer to a person; "he looked out at a roomful of faces"; "when he returned to work he met many new faces"
female person, female - a person who belongs to the sex that can have babies
individualist - a person who pursues independent thought or action
denizen, dweller, habitant, inhabitant, indweller - a person who inhabits a particular place
aborigine, indigen, indigene, native, aboriginal - an indigenous person who was born in a particular place; "the art of the natives of the northwest coast"; "the Canadian government scrapped plans to tax the grants to aboriginal college students"
native - a person born in a particular place or country; "he is a native of Brazil"
inexperienced person, innocent - a person who lacks knowledge of evil
intellectual, intellect - a person who uses the mind creatively
juvenile, juvenile person - a young person, not fully developed
lover - a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
loved one - a person who you love, usually a member of your family
leader - a person who rules or guides or inspires others
male person, male - a person who belongs to the sex that cannot have babies
money dealer, money handler - a person who receives or invests or pays out money
2.individual - a single organism
organism, being - a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently
head - an individual person; "tickets are $5 per head"
Adj.1.individual - being or characteristic of a single thing or person; "individual drops of rain"; "please mark the individual pages"; "they went their individual ways"
separate - independent; not united or joint; "a problem consisting of two separate issues"; "they went their separate ways"; "formed a separate church"
common - belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public; "for the common good"; "common lands are set aside for use by all members of a community"
2.individual - separate and distinct from others of the same kind; "mark the individual pages"; "on a case-by-case basis"
independent - free from external control and constraint; "an independent mind"; "a series of independent judgments"; "fiercely independent individualism"
3.individual - characteristic of or meant for a single person or thing; "an individual serving"; "single occupancy"; "a single bed"
unshared - not shared
4.individual - concerning one person exclusively; "we all have individual cars"; "each room has a private bath"
personal - concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality; "a personal favor"; "for your personal use"; "personal papers"; "I have something personal to tell you"; "a personal God"; "he has his personal bank account and she has hers"

individual
noun 3. person, being, human, party, body (informal) type, unit, character, soul, creature, human being, mortal, personage, living soul
Translations
Spanish individual [ɪndɪˈvɪdjuəl] nindividuo
adjindividual (= personal); personal (= for/of one only); particular

French individual [ɪndɪˈvɪdjuəl] nindividu m
adjindividuel(le); [characteristic] → particulier/ière, original(e)

German individual [ɪndɪˈvɪdjuəl] nIndividuum nt, Einzelne(r) f(m)
adjeigen;
(single) → einzeln;
(case, portion) → Einzel-;
(particular) → individuell

Italian individual [ɪndɪˈvɪdjuəl] nindividuo
adjindividuale (= characteristic); particolare, originale

?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Thus 'man' is predicable of the individual man, and is never present in a subject.
The influence of ancestry, however, is important in helping forward any individual or race, if too much reliance is not placed upon it.
The argument of the Republic is the search after Justice, the nature of which is first hinted at by Cephalus, the just and blameless old man-- then discussed on the basis of proverbial morality by Socrates and Polemarchus--then caricatured by Thrasymachus and partially explained by Socrates--reduced to an abstraction by Glaucon and Adeimantus, and having become invisible in the individual reappears at length in the ideal State which is constructed by Socrates.
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2008 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.