individual

in·di·vid·u·al (

-v

adj.

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.

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.

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

Noun	1.	individual - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul 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" single 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" case-by-case, item-by-item 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" single unshared - not shared
	4.	individual - concerning one person exclusively; "we all have individual cars"; "each room has a private bath" private 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"