Generalize

Pronunciation: /ˈdʒɛnərəˌlaɪz/

Definitions of generalize

verb to make a general statement or form a general opinion based on limited information

Example Sentences

A1 I generalize that all cats are cute animals.

A2 She tends to generalize about people based on their appearance.

B1 It is not fair to generalize about an entire group of people based on one person's actions.

B2 It is important to avoid making sweeping generalizations without considering all the facts.

C1 Researchers must be cautious not to overgeneralize their findings without sufficient evidence.

C2 In academic writing, it is crucial to avoid oversimplifying complex issues by generalizing too broadly.

Examples of generalize in a Sentence

formal It is important not to generalize based on limited data in scientific research.

informal Don't just assume things about people, you can't generalize like that.

slang You can't just lump everyone together, that's not fair to generalize.

figurative She tends to generalize a lot, seeing patterns where there are none.

Grammatical Forms of generalize

• past tense: generalized
• plural: generalizes
• comparative: more generalized
• superlative: most generalized
• present tense: generalize
• future tense: will generalize
• perfect tense: have generalized
• continuous tense: is generalizing
• singular: generalize
• positive degree: generalize
• infinitive: to generalize
• gerund: generalizing
• participle: generalized

Origin and Evolution of generalize

First Known Use: 1700 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'generalize' originated from the Latin word 'generalis', which means 'pertaining to a whole class or kind'.

Evolution of the word: Initially used in a philosophical context to refer to the process of forming general principles or conclusions from specific instances, the word 'generalize' has evolved to also mean making broad statements or assumptions based on limited information.