【Universal】 ,  【general】 ,  【generic】 ,  【common】  are comparable when they mean characteristic of, belonging or relating to, comprehending, or affecting all or the whole.

【Universal】  as used chiefly in logic and philosophy implies reference to each one of a whole (as a class, a category, or a genus) without exception; thus, "all men are animals" is a  【universal】  affirmative proposition, and "no man is omniscient" is a  【universal】  negative proposition; color is a  【universal】 attribute of visible objects, but chroma is not.

【General】 can imply reference to all, either of a precisely definable group (as a class, type, or species) or of a more or less loosely or casually combined or associated number of items. In contrast to  【universal】  ,  【general】 tends to be used with less precise boundaries and often implies no more than reference to nearly all or to most of the group.

But when used with respect to words, language, ideas, or notions,  【general】 tends to suggest lack of precision in use or signification.

【Generic】  is often used in place of  【general】  when a term implying reference to every member of a genus or often of a clearly defined scientific or logical category and the exclusion of all other individuals is needed; thus, a  【general】  likeness between two insects may be a likeness that is merely observable, whereas a  【generic】  likeness is one that offers proof that they belong to the same genus or that enables a student to assign a hitherto unknown insect to its proper category; the use of words is a  【general】  characteristic of writing but the use of meter is a  【generic】 characteristic of poetry.

【Common】  (see also  【COMMON】 3 ) ( RECIPROCAL 1 ) differs from  【general】 in implying participation, use, or a sharing by all members of the class, group, or community of persons or, less often, of things under consideration.