individual

== English == === Alternative forms === individuall (obsolete) === Etymology === From Medieval Latin indīviduālis, from Latin indīviduum (“an indivisible thing”), neuter of indīviduus (“indivisible, undivided”), from in + dīviduus (“divisible”), from dīvidō (“divide”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) (yod-coalescence) IPA(key): /ɪndɪˈvɪd͡ʒʊəl/, /ɪndɪˈvɪd͡ʒʊl/ (no yod-coalescence) IPA(key): /ɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl/, /ɪndɪˈvɪdjʊl/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌɪndɪˈvɪd͡ʒ(u)əl/, /ˌɪndə-/ === Noun === individual (plural individuals) A person considered alone, rather than as belonging to a group of people. (law) A single physical human being as a legal subject, as opposed to a legal person such as a corporation. An object, be it a thing or an agent, as contrasted to a class. (statistics) An element belonging to a population. ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === individual (comparative more individual, superlative most individual) Relating to a single person or thing as opposed to more than one. Synonym: single Antonym: collective Near-synonyms: individuated, solitary, self-standing, freestanding Intended for a single person as opposed to more than one person. Synonyms: personal, single Antonyms: group, joint, shared, collective individual personal pension;   individual cream cakes Not divisible without losing its identity. Near-synonyms: unatomizable, indivisible, undividable ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Further reading === “individual”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “individual”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. Raymond Williams (1983), “Individual”, in Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society, revised American edition, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, published 1985, →ISBN, page 161. == Catalan == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Central) [in.di.βi.ðuˈal] IPA(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [in.di.vi.ðuˈal] === Adjective === individual m or f (masculine and feminine plural individuals) individual ==== Derived terms ==== individualisme individualista individualitzar individualment ==== Related terms ==== individu individualitat ==== Further reading ==== “individual”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 == Galician == === Adjective === individual m or f (plural individuais) individual ==== Derived terms ==== individualismo individualista individualizar individualmente ==== Related terms ==== individuo individualidade ==== Further reading ==== “individual”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026 == Portuguese == === Etymology === From indivíduo +‎ -al. === Pronunciation === Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw Hyphenation: in‧di‧vi‧du‧al === Adjective === individual m or f (plural individuais) individual ==== Derived terms ==== individualismo individualista individualmente ==== Related terms ==== indivíduo === Further reading === “individual”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French individuel. By surface analysis, individ +‎ -ual. === Pronunciation === === Adjective === individual m or n (feminine singular individuală, masculine plural individuali, feminine/neuter plural individuale) individual ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== individualism individualist individualitate == Spanish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /indibiˈdwal/ [ĩn̪.d̪i.β̞iˈð̞wal] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: in‧di‧vi‧dual === Adjective === individual m or f (masculine and feminine plural individuales) individual case-by-case one-on-one (e.g., relationship or bond) one-man (e.g., a one-man show) personal, individualized ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Noun === individual m (plural individuales) place mat Synonym: salvamanteles ==== Further reading ==== “individual”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025