Powszechny

Powszechny is a Polish adjective meaning universal, general, or applicable to all members of a group. It describes things that concern everyone or that are widespread and standard across a society. In everyday language it can refer to phenomena that affect all, common conditions, or shared rights and duties.

In legal and political contexts powszechny emphasizes universality of obligations or protections. Examples include phrases such as powszechny obowiązek obrony (the universal duty of defense) or powszechny dostęp do opieki zdrowotnej (universal access to healthcare). The term is often used to describe policies or systems intended to apply to all citizens, rather than to a subset.

In descriptive and sociological usage, powszechny contrasts with terms like ogólny (general) or częściowy (partial): powszechny highlights total applicability rather than partial coverage. The adverbial form powszechnie means universally or generally, as in powszechnie uznawany (widely recognized).

Etymology is tied to the broader semantic field of universality and totality in Polish, with related formations in the wszech- family that express all-encompassing scope. Powszechny thus occupies a position between everyday usage and formal, sometimes constitutional, expressions of universality, and is a common descriptor in discussions of rights, access, and social norms.