generality.

1. Breadth of scope or range of application rather than restriction to a narrow case.

2. A broad statement that does not supply specific detail.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• generality of a principle
• degree of generality

On the page

The principle’s generality allowed it to apply across several kinds of institution.

The degree of generality increased when the narrow assumption was removed.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Usually uncountable for scope; singular generality, plural generalities for broad statements. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: definition, institutional analysis, scope assessment, comparison. Disciplines: academic writing, institutional analysis, conceptual explanation. Commonness: moderately common.