individual

n. 1. A single person, animal, or thing of any kind; a thing or being incapable of separation or division, without losing its identity; especially, a human being; a person. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

An object which is in the strict and primary sense one, and can not be logically divided, is called an individual. Whately. [ 1913 Webster ]

That individuals die, his will ordains. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) An independent, or partially independent, zooid of a compound animal. (b) The product of a single egg, whether it remains a single animal or becomes compound by budding or fission. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. individuus indivisible; pref. in- not + dividuus divisible, fr. dividere to divide: cf. F. individuel. See Divide. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Not divided, or not to be divided; existing as one entity, or distinct being or object; single; one; as, an individual man, animal, or city. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mind has a being of its own, distinct from that of all other things, and is pure, unmingled, individual substance. A. Tucker. [ 1913 Webster ]

United as one individual soul. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to one only; peculiar to, or characteristic of, a single person or thing; distinctive; as, individual traits of character; individual exertions; individual peculiarities. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. Same as individualize. [ chiefly Brit. ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. individualisme. ] [ 1913 Webster ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The quality of being individual; individuality; personality. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An excessive or exclusive regard to one's personal interest; self-interest; selfishness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The selfishness of the small proprietor has been described by the best writers as individualism. Ed. Rev. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The principle, policy, or practice of maintaining individuality, or independence of the individual, in action; the theory or practice of maintaining the independence of individual initiative, action, and interests, as in industrial organization or in government. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. a person who pursues independent thought or action. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to the individual or individualism. London Athenæum. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. exhibiting marked individuality{ 3 } in thought and action; as, an individualistic way of dressing.
Syn. -- individualist. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Individualities [ Cf. F. individualité. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The quality or state of being individual or constituting an individual; separate or distinct existence; oneness; unity. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

They possess separate individualities. H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The character or property appropriate or peculiar to an individual; that quality which distinguishes one person or thing from another; the sum of characteristic traits; distinctive character; as, he is a person of marked individuality. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A habit of thinking and acting in one's own distinctive manner and as one believes appropriate, not being heavily influenced by the opinions of others; -- of people. [ PJC ]

n. [ Cf. F. individualization. ] The act of individualizing; the state of being individualized; individuation. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Individualized p. pr. & vb. n. Individualizing ] [ Cf. F. individualiser. ] To mark as an individual, or to distinguish from others by peculiar properties; to invest with individuality; to give distinctive character to; to make distinctive; to enable differentiation from others of similar type; -- of properties of things. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

The peculiarities which individualize and distinguish the humor of Addison. N. Drake. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. to render (a product or service) suitable to each individual person by varying to some degree its characteristics; to personalize.
Syn. -- personalize, individualize, make personal, make more personal. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. To consider individually; to mention each individual. [ PJC ]