Adjective / Noun A2 — Elementary /ˈdʒen.ər.əl/

General — Definition, Examples & Usage

Broad in scope, not specialised — one of the most useful words in English.

Quick Definition

General (adjective) — relating to or affecting the whole of something rather than one specific part; not limited to one subject, area, or purpose: a general rule; general knowledge.

General (noun) — a senior military officer of the highest commissioned rank, above a colonel or lieutenant general: General Montgomery commanded the Eighth Army.

What Does General Mean?

General comes from the Latin generalis, meaning "relating to all" or "of a kind", from genus (kind, class, type). It entered English via Old French general in the 13th–14th centuries. The military sense — a commander of an army — developed in the 16th century as a shortening of captain-general. The same Latin root genus also gives us genre, gender, and generate.

As an adjective, general is one of the most common words in English. It describes something that applies broadly, covers a wide range, or is not specialised: general interest, general advice, the general public, in general terms. This contrasts with specific, particular, or specialist, which all narrow the focus down to one instance or area.

The word also appears in many fixed phrases and compound nouns: general election, general practitioner (GP), general knowledge, attorney general, Secretary-General. Learning these collocations is key to sounding natural in both spoken and written English.

Example Sentences

SentenceLevel & note
She has a general interest in history and science.A2 — adjective before noun
In general, people prefer warm weather to cold.B1 — fixed phrase 'in general'
The doctor gave me some general advice about diet and exercise.B1 — adjective modifying 'advice'
The report offers a general overview of the economic situation, without examining individual sectors.B2 — formal written English
As a general rule, the more abstract a concept, the harder it is to convey without concrete examples.C1 — complex sentence, idiomatic phrase

Common Collocations

CollocationExample
general knowledgeThe quiz tests your general knowledge of science and history.
general publicThe exhibition is open to the general public from Monday.
general electionA general election must be held within five years.
general ruleAs a general rule, you should reply to emails within 24 hours.
general practitioner (GP)You should see your general practitioner before taking any new medication.
general overviewThe introduction provides a general overview of the research findings.
in generalIn general, teenagers need about nine hours of sleep per night.
general agreementThere is general agreement that the new policy is an improvement.
general managerThe general manager oversees all departments in the company.
general directionThe project is moving in the right general direction, even if some details need refining.

Usage Notes

Adjective use: General typically comes before a noun (general advice) or after a linking verb (the situation is general rather than specific). It emphasises breadth rather than depth.

Fixed phrase — in general: Use in general at the start or end of a sentence to introduce a broad statement: In general, exercise is beneficial. Do not confuse this with in particular, which signals a specific example.

Register: General is neutral in register and suits informal conversation, business writing, and academic prose equally well. The related adverb generally is also common in formal hedging: It is generally accepted that…

Noun use (military): When used as a title before a name, capitalise it: General Smith. Without a name, it is lower-case: the general gave the order.

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

Generally speaking, the most of students prefer interactive lessons.

Generally speaking, most students prefer interactive lessons. (no article before 'most')

He is a very general person — he knows about everything.

He has very broad knowledge — he knows about a wide range of subjects. (use 'broad' or 'wide-ranging' to describe a person's knowledge, not 'general')

In general of, reading improves vocabulary.

In general, reading improves vocabulary. ('in general' is not followed by 'of')

Related Words

generally (adv.) generalise (v.) generalisation (n.) generality (n.) specific broad overall universal particular widespread

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Complete the Sentence Vocabulary Quiz Hangman

Frequently Asked Questions about “general”

What does general mean in English?
As an adjective, general means relating to the whole of something rather than a specific part, or not limited to one subject or area: 'a general interest in science'. As a noun, a General is a high-ranking military officer above a colonel. The adjective is far more frequent in everyday English.
What is the difference between general and specific?
General describes something that applies broadly or covers a wide range: 'a general rule'. Specific refers to a particular thing, detail, or instance: 'a specific problem'. In writing and speaking, you often move from the general to the specific — introducing a broad idea before narrowing it down with examples or details.
What is the adverb form of general?
The adverb form is generally, meaning in most cases or usually: 'It is generally accepted that regular exercise improves health.' Generally can also mean in a general way, without focusing on details: 'Speaking generally, the project went well.'
What does in general mean?
The phrase in general means as a whole, or considering something broadly without focusing on specific cases: 'In general, students who read widely develop stronger vocabularies.' It is very common in academic and formal English and is a useful discourse marker for introducing a broad statement.
How do you use general as an adjective?
Place general before a noun: 'a general rule', 'general knowledge', 'the general public'. You can also use it predicatively after a linking verb, though this is less common: 'The advice was general rather than specific.' Avoid confusing it with the noun use (a General commanding troops).
What is the noun form of general (not the military rank)?
The most common noun derived from general is generality — meaning a statement that is true in most cases but lacks specific detail: 'She spoke in generalities rather than giving concrete answers.' The related noun generalisation refers to a broad conclusion drawn from limited examples, which can sometimes be inaccurate.
What is the difference between general and common?
General means applying broadly or affecting the whole: 'a matter of general concern'. Common means occurring frequently or shared by many people: 'a common mistake'. A mistake can be both general (widespread) and common (frequently made), but general emphasises breadth of scope, while common emphasises frequency or shared nature.
What does general practitioner mean?
A general practitioner (GP) is a doctor who treats a wide range of illnesses rather than specialising in one area of medicine. The term uses general in its sense of 'not specialised'. In British English, your GP is your family doctor, and you register with a GP practice rather than seeing a specialist directly.
What is the etymology of the word general?
General comes from the Latin generalis, meaning 'relating to all' or 'of a kind', from genus (kind, class, type). It entered English via Old French general in the 13th–14th centuries. The military sense of 'commander of an army' developed in the 16th century as a shortening of captain-general. The Latin root genus also gives us words like genre, gender, and generate.
How can I practise using general in English?
Use LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise to practise general and its collocations in context, or try the Flash Cards tool to review the word alongside related vocabulary such as generally, generalise, and general knowledge. Writing short paragraphs that move from a general statement to specific examples is a great way to consolidate both the word and the skill.