universe
Definitions
All existing matter, space, and time considered as one whole; the cosmos.
宇宙；万物。
A particular sphere or world of activity or experience.
（某一）领域，世界，天地。
Root Breakdown
Native Englishuni- (one) + vers (turn, from vertere) = Latin universum, 'everything turned into one.' The Romans rolled the totality of things into a single whole and called it 'the one.' That is why 'the universe' is always singular — by definition there is only one.
Root vers still carries 91 more wordsWhy It Means This
Universe is the family's most surprising member. Latin uni- (one) plus vers- (the turning, from vertere) literally gives 'turned into one' — the whole of existence gathered into a single thing. The grammar still reflects the etymology: we say the universe, never a universe (except in fiction, where 'a parallel universe' borrows the word for one self-contained world). The same uni- + vers gave universal (true of the one whole, hence true of everything) and university (a community of scholars taken as one body).
Common Collocations
- 1.the universe宇宙
- 2.expanding universe膨胀的宇宙
- 3.parallel universe平行宇宙
- 4.the known universe已知宇宙
Example Sentences
- 1.
Scientists believe the universe began with the Big Bang.
- 2.
There are billions of galaxies in the universe.
- 3.
In her universe, everything revolves around music.