universe

6 definitions • 9 examples

everything that exists, especially all physical matter, including all the stars, planets, galaxies, etc. in space:

Is there intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?

a universe that could be imagined to exist outside our own:

Scientists have speculated about the possibility of parallel universes.

the world, or the world that you are familiar with:

The characters in his novels inhabit a bleak and hopeless universe.

His family is his whole universe (= everything that is important to him).

everything that exists, esp. all physical matter, including all the stars and planets in space

a collection of people, things, or companies that have similar characteristics or features:

We rank a broad universe of stocks using both value characteristics and growth characteristics.

Salesmen seeking business leads pay extra for the service to be able to contact a broader universe of people.

a particular activity, or the people and companies involved in a particular activity:

the business/corporate/online universe The online universe is brimming with dozens of virtual worlds vying to build sustainable life.

They chose a fund with a global rather than a limited investment universe.

The company claimed 7,500 accounts nationwide - a small but not insignificant piece of a universe of 750,000 U.S. food-service operators.