global

Global is an adjective that describes something relating to the whole world or affecting the entire planet. It is used to denote worldwide scope or universal reach, such as global trends, global climate, and global health. In common usage, global often contrasts with terms like local or regional.

The word derives from the Latin globus, meaning sphere or globe, and entered English via late Latin globalis and Old French global. The modern sense of "relating to the world as a whole" became common with the rise of global communication and exchange in the 19th and 20th centuries, culminating in the concept of globalization.

In science and policy, "global" is often contrasted with "local." A global model or analysis considers the entire system or all locations, whereas a local model focuses on a particular area. The term anchors discussions of global climate change, global supply chains, and global health threats such as pandemics.

In computing, "global" also denotes scope within a program or environment, such as global variables accessible from any part of the code, as opposed to local variables restricted to a function or module.

Some scholars stress the tension between global and local perspectives, giving rise to the concept of glocalization—the practice of thinking globally while acting locally. The term "global" therefore carries both descriptive and normative dimensions across disciplines.