generalize
English edit
Alternative forms edit
- generalise (non-Oxford British spelling)
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
- (Received Pronunciation, General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛn.(ə.)ɹə.laɪz/
Audio (Southern England) (file)
- (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒen.(ə.)ɹə.lɑɪz/
Verb edit
generalize (third-person singular simple present generalizes, present participle generalizing, simple past and past participle generalized)
- To speak in generalities, or in vague terms.
- To infer or induce from specific cases to more general cases or principles.
- 1795, William Nicholson, A Dictionary of Chemistry:
- Copernicus generalized the celestial motions by merely referring them to the moon's motion. Newton generalized them still more by referring this last to the motion of a stone through the air.
- To spread throughout the body and become systemic.
- To derive or deduce (a general concept or principle) from particular facts.
- August 24, 1831, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Truth and Maxims:
- A mere conclusion generalized from a great multitude of facts.
Synonyms edit
- (speak in generalities): See also Thesaurus:generalize
Antonyms edit
- (antonym(s) of “speak in generalities”): See also Thesaurus:specify
- (antonym(s) of “infer from specific cases”): specialize, instantiate
Derived terms edit
Derived terms
Related terms edit
Translations edit
to speak in generalities, or in vague terms
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to infer or induce from specific cases to more general cases or principles
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to spread throughout the body and become systemic
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deduce — see deduce
Portuguese edit
Verb edit
generalize
- inflection of generalizar: