A statement, principle, or idea that applies broadly to many cases; a lack of specific details or particularness.
From Old French generalité, from Latin generalitas (from generalis). The word entered English in the 14th century.
The whole idea of 'generality' as something distinct from particulars became really important during the Enlightenment when people wanted to find universal laws of nature—before that, people just described what they saw without worrying about generalizing!
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