Individual means relating to one person or thing, rather than to a large group.
They wait for the group to decide rather than making individual decisions.
Aid to individual countries would be linked to progress towards democracy.
Divide the vegetables among four individual dishes.
Synonyms: separate, single, independent, isolated More Synonyms of individual
individuallyadverb [usually ADVERB with verb, ADVERB adjective]
...cheeses which come in individually wrapped segments.
There are 96 pieces and they are worth, individually and collectively, a lot of money.
Synonyms: separately, independently, singly, one by one More Synonyms of individual
2. countable noun
An individual is a person.
...anonymous individuals who are doing good things within our community.
...the rights and responsibilities of the individual.
A child's awareness of being an individual grows in stages during the pre-schoolyears.
Synonyms: person, being, human, party [informal] More Synonyms of individual
3. adjective
If you describe someone or something as individual, you mean that you admire them because they are very unusual and do not try to imitate other people or things.
[approval]
It was really all part of her very individual personality.
The language is highly individual.
Synonyms: unique, different, special, original More Synonyms of individual
More Synonyms of individual
individual in British English
(ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl)
adjective
1.
of, relating to, characteristic of, or meant for a single person or thing
2.
separate or distinct, esp from others of its kind; particular
please mark the individual pages
3.
characterized by unusual and striking qualities; distinctive
4. obsolete
indivisible; inseparable
noun
5.
a single person, esp when regarded as distinct from others
6. biology
a.
a single animal or plant, esp as distinct from a species
b.
a single member of a compound organism or colony
7. logic
a. Also called: particular
an object as opposed to a property or class
b.
an element of the domain of discourse of a theory
Derived forms
individually (ˌindiˈvidually)
adverb
Word origin
C15: from Medieval Latin indīviduālis, from Latin indīviduus indivisible, from in-1 + dīviduus divisible, from dīvidere to divide
individual in American English
(ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒuəl; often ˌ ɪndɪˈvɪdʒəl)
adjective
1. Obsolete
not divisible; not separable
2.
existing as a single, separate thing or being; single; separate; particular
3.
of, for, or by a single person or thing
4.
relating to or characteristic of a single person or thing
5.
distinguished from others by special characteristics; of a unique or striking character
an individual style
noun
6.
a single thing, being, or organism, esp., when regarded as a member of a class, species,group, etc.
7.
a person
SIMILAR WORDS: ˌcharacterˈistic
Word origin
ML individualis < L individuus (< in-, in-2 + dividuus, divisible < dividere, to divide) + -al
Examples of 'individual' in a sentence
individual
They will not go into individual cases.
Computing (2010)
Other experts place less emphasis on particular countries and more on selecting good individual stocks.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The vast majority of the book is instead the life story of a rather strange individual.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The story is bigger than any one individual within it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He claims personal issues and the individual person are not that important.
The Sun (2016)
They felt valued and we took the approach that you accept people as individuals and support them as such.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The report includes tips from industry experts and law enforcement groups on how individuals and businesses can secure themselves online.
Computing (2010)
Individual rail company policies They all vary slightly.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Money from individual lenders is put together to fund borrowers seeking personal or small business loans and in some cases buy-to-let mortgages.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Without any of those four individuals, it is unlikely that England would have won.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There is no evidence of changes in relationships between individuals and groups.
Lee Harvey Critical Social Research (1990)
It could also be seen as the departure of the individual person.
Francis Pryor BRITAIN BC: Life In Britain and Ireland before the Romans (2003)
Different ways of offering information and advocacy to people with individual budgets are being tested.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Now gang members are going after individual wealth rather than group wealth.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
So how do we put our own distinctive or individual stamp on our luggage?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This dichotomy was not necessarily between different carmakers but often within individual company ranges.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This was a failure of the system more than one individual.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The church is comprised of individual members who individually feel ownership of the organization.
Christianity Today (2000)
You cannot really blame individual members of staff.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Such power is not invested in any single individual.
Boyne, Roy Foucault and Derrida - The Other Side Of Reason (1990)
This encourages people to think about the individual parts of the meat.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
All the money came from individual investors.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This equipment is not produced by highly skilled individual craftsmen.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
These studies are not just about individual character or personality.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Set goals for individuals and groups derived from organizational goals.
Tompkins, Jonathan Human Resource Management in Government (1995)
Each person needs individual assessment of his or her perception of what it is like.
Knowles, Jane Know Your Own Mind (1991)
It caught a host of different factors to which the circumstances of the individual case might require her to have regard.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We wanted to make something that represented us as a group rather than as a collection of four individuals working together.
The Sun (2012)
One of the key areas where changes will be seen is in the relationship between individual investorsand their financial advisers.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
People love how individual you are.
The Sun (2015)
We are well tuned, we have good individuals at the top and farther down the chain.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
As with most medical conditions, each case is an individual circumstance and requires its own remedies.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The best team will win it, not the best four individuals.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There have been some good individual performances but we used to pride ourselves on making big first-innings scores.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
individual
British English: individual /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl/ ADJECTIVE
Individual means relating to one person or thing, rather than to a large group.
We ask each individual customer for suggestions.
American English: individual
Arabic: فَرْدِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: individual
Chinese: 单个的
Croatian: pojedinačan
Czech: individuální
Danish: individuel
Dutch: individueel
European Spanish: individual
Finnish: yksilöllinen
French: individuel
German: einzeln
Greek: μεμονωμένος
Italian: individuale
Japanese: 個々の
Korean: 개인의
Norwegian: individuell
Polish: indywidualny
European Portuguese: individual
Romanian: individual
Russian: индивидуальный
Latin American Spanish: individual
Swedish: individuell
Thai: เฉพาะบุคคล
Turkish: birey
Ukrainian: окремий
Vietnamese: cá nhân
British English: individual NOUN
An individual is a person.
...anonymous individuals who are doing good things within our community.
American English: individual
Brazilian Portuguese: indivíduo
Chinese: 个人
European Spanish: individuo
French: individu
German: Individuum
Italian: individuo
Japanese: 人
Korean: 개인
European Portuguese: indivíduo
Latin American Spanish: individuo
All related terms of 'individual'
individual error
An error is something you have done which is considered to be incorrect or wrong , or which should not have been done.
individual liberty
the liberty of an individual to exercise freely those rights generally accepted as being outside of governmental control
individual medal
A medal is a small metal disc which is given as an award for bravery or as a prize in a sporting event.
individual patient
A patient is a person who is receiving medical treatment from a doctor or hospital . A patient is also someone who is registered with a particular doctor.
individual rights
Your rights are what you are morally or legally entitled to do or to have.
individual stocks
Stocks are shares in the ownership of a company, or investments on which a fixed amount of interest will be paid.
individual donation
A donation is something which someone gives to a charity or other organization.
individual performance
A performance involves entertaining an audience by doing something such as singing , dancing, or acting.
individual circumstances
Your circumstances are the conditions of your life, especially the amount of money that you have.
individual contribution
If you make a contribution to something, you do something to help make it successful or to produce it.
individual responsibility
If you have responsibility for something or someone, or if they are your responsibility , it is your job or duty to deal with them and to take decisions relating to them.
IRA
(in the US) individual retirement account
Roth IRA
A Roth IRA is a kind of retirement account where contributions are made with taxed money, and distributions are tax-free .
Chinese translation of 'individual'
individual
(ɪndɪˈvɪdjuəl)
n
(= single person) 个(個)人 (gèrén)
adj
(= personal) 个(個)人的 (gèrén de)
(= particular) 单(單)个(個)的 (dāngè de)
(= unique) 独(獨)特的 (dútè de)
he is an unpleasant/interesting individual他是个(個)讨(討)厌(厭)的/有趣的人 (tā shì gè tǎoyàn de/yǒuqù de rén)
1 (adjective)
Definition
of, relating to, or meant for a single person or thing
waiting for the group to decide rather than making individual decisions
Synonyms
separate
We both live our separate lives.
single
I booked a single room at the hotel.
independent
Two independent studies have been carried out.
isolated
The allegations related to an isolated case of cheating.
lone
a lone motorist
solitary
He spent many a solitary evening.
discrete
the process seen as a sequence of discrete phases
Opposites
general
,
collective
2 (adjective)
Definition
characterized by unusual and striking qualities
It was all part of her very individual personality.
Synonyms
unique
The area has its own unique language, Catalan.
different
What you do in the privacy of your own home is a different matter.
special
original
an original idea
fresh
These designers are full of fresh ideas.
novel
Clubs are always looking at novel ways to raise cash.
exclusive
distinct
The book is divided into two distinct parts.
singular
a smile of singular sweetness
idiosyncratic
unorthodox
His methods were unorthodox, and his lifestyle eccentric.
Opposites
ordinary
,
conventional
,
universal
3 (adjective)
Definition
separate or distinct from others of its kind
We develop our own individual style of writing.
Synonyms
distinctive
the distinctive odour of chlorine
special
It requires a very special brand of courage to fight dictators.
personal
That's my personal property!
particular
What particular aspects of the job are you interested in?
specific
the specific needs of the individual
characteristic
Windmills are a characteristic feature of the landscape.
distinguishing
The bird has no distinguishing features.
distinct
signature
peculiar
We have our own peculiar way of doing things.
respective
They went into their respective bedrooms.
idiosyncratic
a highly idiosyncratic personality
personalized
a car with a personalized number plate
own
several
Opposites
general
,
common
,
conventional
,
universal
,
indistinct
(noun)
Definition
a single person, esp. when regarded as distinct from others
the rights and responsibilities of the individual
Synonyms
person
Sam's the only person who can do the job.
being
beings from outer space
human
The drug has not yet been tested on humans.
party (informal)
A certain party told me you would be here.
body (informal)
type
unit
character (informal)
What an unpleasant character he is!
soul
a tiny village of only 100 souls
creature
He is one of the most amiable creatures in existence.