• Today's Word

Ubiquitous

🔊 Listen to the word Ubiquitous

yoo-BIK-wih-tus

Definition

(adjective) Found or appearing everywhere simultaneously; seeming to be present in all places at once.

Example

Smartphones have become so ubiquitous that it’s now more unusual to spot someone without one than with one.

Word Origin

Ubiquitous derives from the Latin ubique, meaning “everywhere,” combined with the suffix -ous denoting a quality or characteristic. The Latin root breaks down further into ubi (“where”) and que (“and, also”) — essentially meaning “and wherever else.” The word entered English in the 19th century, initially used in theological discussions about God’s omnipresence before expanding into general use.

Fun Fact

The word’s theological roots are more than a footnote — the concept of “ubiquity” was at the center of a fierce 16th century debate between Martin Luther and other Protestant reformers over the nature of communion. Luther argued that Christ’s body was literally ubiquitous — present everywhere simultaneously — which would make it genuinely present in the bread and wine of communion. His opponents disagreed sharply, and the dispute helped fracture the early Protestant movement into competing denominations that still exist today.