a single human being, as distinguished from a group.
a person: a strange individual.
a distinct, indivisible entity; a single thing, being, instance, or item.
a group considered as a unit.
Biology.
a single organism capable of independent existence.
a member of a compound organism or colony.
Cards. a duplicate-bridge tournament in which each player plays the same number of hands in partnership with every other player, individual scores for each player being kept for each hand.
adjective
single; particular; separate: to number individual copies of a limited edition.
intended for the use of one person only: to serve individual portions of a pizza.
of, relating to, or characteristic of a particular person or thing: individual tastes.
distinguished by special, singular, or markedly personal characteristics; exhibiting unique or unusual qualities: a highly individual style of painting.
existing as a distinct, indivisible entity, or considered as such; discrete: individual parts of a tea set.
of which each is different or of a different design from the others: a set of individual coffee cups.
Origin of individual
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin indīviduālis, equivalent to Latin indīviduus “indivisible” (from in- negative prefix + dīviduus “divided or divisible into two parts”) + -ālis adjective suffix; cf. in-3, divide, -al1
synonym study for individual
2. See person.
usage note for individual
1, 2. As a synonym for person,individual is standard, occurring in all varieties of speech and writing: Three individuals entered the room, each carrying a sheaf of papers. Some object to this use, insisting that individual can mean only “a single human being, as distinguished from a group”: An individual may have concerns that are ignored by his or her party.
In addition, she says, “I do worry about the vaccine hesitant group of individuals.”
A coronavirus vaccine will save more lives if we share it widely|Kat Eschner|September 17, 2020|Popular Science
However, the marketers’ internal models typically don’t get into the specifics of individual media channels.
NBCUniversal tests new measurement program to prove it can push product sales for advertisers|Tim Peterson|September 17, 2020|Digiday
In some states, like Nebraska, individual counties are expanding access to mail-in voting in absence of a statewide directive.
Vote by mail: Which states allow absentee voting|Kate Rabinowitz, Brittany Mayes|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
It remains to be seen if it will be picked up as an individual piece of legislation.
Why lawmakers may choose a more targeted approach for the second round of COVID stimulus|Aric Jenkins|September 16, 2020|Fortune
In the past decade, Los Angeles and other counties throughout California have stopped using gang injunctions because research has proven them harmful to families, communities, the individual and eventually society.
While We’re Rethinking Policing, It’s Time to End Gang Injunctions|Jamie Wilson|September 15, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Can they determine that individual citizens should not have access to rights provided by the Constitution?
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
For anything to work, including law itself, there must be ample room for individual responsibility.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the hope is that if you can change their individual lives, it will have an impact on their families.
Dr. Howard Fuller's Injustice Education|Campbell Brown|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Schools are extremely important to create the possibility for individual lives to be better.
Dr. Howard Fuller's Injustice Education|Campbell Brown|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For the individual patient, there is the potential for side effects or adverse reactions.
Without Education, Antibiotic Resistance Will Be Our Greatest Health Crisis|Russell Saunders|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the individual Englishman that they know, they take at his real value.
Life of Frederick Courtenay Selous, D.S.O.|J.G. Millais
In dairy work the individual preferences of the cows are given attention and their whimsy catered to by the herdsman.
The Dollar Hen|Milo M. Hastings
By the necessity of our constitution a certain enthusiasm attends the individual's consciousness of that divine presence.
Essays, First Series|Ralph Waldo Emerson
This individual we have kept to the last, though he was little more than a private person, and is not at all famous.
A Jar of Honey from Mount Hybla|Leigh Hunt
She had long since ceased to be interested in Billy Burgeman as an individual.
Seven Miles to Arden|Ruth Sawyer
British Dictionary definitions for individual
individual
/ (ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl) /
adjective
of, relating to, characteristic of, or meant for a single person or thing
separate or distinct, esp from others of its kind; particularplease mark the individual pages
characterized by unusual and striking qualities; distinctive
obsoleteindivisible; inseparable
noun
a single person, esp when regarded as distinct from others
biology
a single animal or plant, esp as distinct from a species
a single member of a compound organism or colony
logic
Also called: particularan object as opposed to a property or class
an element of the domain of discourse of a theory
Derived forms of individual
individually, adverb
Word Origin for individual
C15: from Medieval Latin indīviduālis, from Latin indīviduus indivisible, from in-1 + dīviduus divisible, from dīvidere to divide