generalization
nounUK /ˌdʒenrəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/
US /ˌdʒenrələˈzeɪʃn/
A general idea made from many small facts.
After seeing many dogs, the child made a generalization that all dogs bark.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A broad statement that may not be true in every case.
Saying all cats hate water is a generalization.
3. The act of spreading an idea to a wider group.
The generalization of the new teaching method helped many schools.
4. In math, a rule that works for many numbers.
The formula is a generalization of the simple rule.