varioversal

V4A1R1I1O1V4E1R1S1A1L1

noun

A linguistic feature that is recurrent in language varieties with similar sociolinguistic backgrounds.

Scrabble 17
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Meanings

nounvarioversal (plural varioversals)

plural varioversals

  1. uncommonespecially dialectology and language typologyhuman sciencesA linguistic feature that is recurrent in language varieties with similar sociolinguistic backgrounds.

Origin

From vari- + -o- + clipping of universal, equivalent to a blend of variety + universal with Latinizing -o-. Coined by Benedikt Szmrecsanyi and Bernd Kortmann (2009), apparently after earlier angloversal.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

varioversal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/varioversal

MLA

“varioversal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/varioversal. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “varioversal,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/varioversal.

Source: varioversal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.