universal in WordNet English dictionary

1. of worldwide scope or applicability
   "an issue of cosmopolitan import"; "the shrewdest political and ecumenical comment of our time"- Christopher Morley; "universal experience"
   cosmopolitan  ecumenical  oecumenical  general  universal  worldwide  world-wide 
   
2. adapted to various purposes, sizes, forms, operations
   "universal wrench", "universal chuck"; "universal screwdriver"
   universal 
   
3. applicable to or common to all members of a group or set
   "the play opened to universal acclaim"; "rap enjoys universal appeal among teenage boys"
   universal 
   

1. (linguistics) a grammatical rule (or other linguistic feature) that is found in all languages
   universal  linguistic universal 
   
2. coupling that connects two rotating shafts allowing freedom of movement in all directions
   "in motor vehicles a universal joint allows the driveshaft to move up and down as the vehicle passes over bumps"
   universal joint  universal 
   
3. a behavioral convention or pattern characteristic of all members of a particular culture or of all human beings
   "some form of religion seems to be a human universal"
   universal 
   
4. (logic) a proposition that asserts something of all members of a class
   universal  universal proposition