universe
YOO-nih-vurs
Universe (noun) means All of space, time, matter, and energy that exists. Example: “Scientists estimate the universe is roughly 13.8 billion years old.”
noun
1
All of space, time, matter, and energy that exists.
"Scientists estimate the universe is roughly 13.8 billion years old."
"No one knows exactly how large the universe really is."
"Astronomers use powerful telescopes to study distant galaxies scattered across the universe."
2
The imaginary world and set of characters that a story or franchise takes place in.
"The new film expands the superhero universe with several fresh characters."
"Fans of the fantasy series love exploring its detailed universe of magic and strange creatures."
"The author set three different novels in the same imaginary universe."
3
Everything relevant to a particular subject, situation, or discussion.
"Within the universe of possible solutions, only two were realistic."
"In the universe of home baking, bread is the hardest thing to get right."
"Our survey covered the whole universe of customers who had bought from us twice."
How to use universe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEverything that exists, or, more loosely, the entire scope of something being discussed.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
the vastness of the universe
expand the universe
fictional universe
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Word forms
- Plural
- universes
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Scientists estimate the _____ is roughly 13.8 billion years old.
Etymology
From Latin universum, "all things as a whole," from universus, literally "turned into one" — from unus ("one") plus versus ("turned").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for universe
See all rhymes for universe →Frequently asked questions
What does “universe” mean?
The word “universe” means all of space, time, matter, and energy that exists. In plain terms, everything that exists, or, more loosely, the entire scope of something being discussed.
How do you pronounce “universe”?
“Universe” is pronounced YOO-nih-vurs (/ˈjunəˌvɝs/ in IPA).
How do you use “universe” in a sentence?
Here is “universe” used in a sentence: “Scientists estimate the universe is roughly 13.8 billion years old.”
What part of speech is “universe”?
“Universe” is a noun.
Where does the word “universe” come from?
The word “universe” comes from Latin. From Latin universum, "all things as a whole," from universus, literally "turned into one" — from unus ("one") plus versus ("turned").
Is “universe” a common word?
“Universe” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “universe” have?
“Universe” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: all of space, time, matter, and energy that exists.
What is the difference between the universe and a galaxy?
A galaxy is a single vast system of stars, gas, and dust bound together by gravity — our Sun sits in the Milky Way galaxy. The universe is everything that exists, containing billions of galaxies along with all space, time, matter, and energy. A galaxy is one small part of the whole universe.
How old is the universe?
Scientists estimate the universe is about 13.8 billion years old, dating from the Big Bang, when space, time, matter, and energy began expanding from an extremely hot, dense state. This age comes from measuring the expansion rate and studying the faint background radiation left over from that early moment.
How big is the universe?
The observable universe — the part we can in principle see — is roughly 93 billion light-years across, and it is still expanding. What lies beyond that boundary is unknown, and the universe as a whole may be far larger or even infinite. Its true full size cannot currently be measured.
What is the difference between the universe and the cosmos?
The two words are often used interchangeably to mean everything that exists. 'Cosmos' tends to emphasise the universe seen as an ordered, harmonious whole, and carries a slightly more poetic or philosophical tone. 'Universe' is the more neutral, scientific term, but in most everyday contexts they mean the same thing.
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