uniformity

Noun

uniformity (usually uncountable, plural uniformities)

1. (usually) The quality or state of having the same characteristics or form as other things, and lacking variety; (countable) an instance of this.
   • The buildings are all of brick, of a goodly heigth, and an excellent vniformity in moſt of the ſtreets, the toppes riſing vvith battlements.1611, Thomas Coryate [i.e., Thomas Coryat], “My Obseruations of Gorcom”, in Coryats Crudities Hastily Gobled Vp in Five Moneths Trauells […], London: […] W[illiam] S[tansby for the author], →OCLC...
   • It remaines, that I collect as vvell as I can, thoſe memorials vvhich I find of this expedition ſcattered in diuers places: a vvorke neceſſarie, for that the greatneſſe of this action vvas ſuch, as ought not to bee omitted in a generall Hiſtorie; yet not eaſie, the conſent of thoſe that haue...1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], “Of the Times from the Death of Manasses [Manasseh of Judah] to the Destruction of Jerusalem”, in The Historie of the World […], London: […] William...

   Synonyms:

   sameness

   Antonyms:

   disuniformity, nonuniformity

2. (usually) Often followed by of: the quality or state of a thing always having the same characteristics or form; consistency or regularity in appearance or operation.
   • The uniformity of the decor
   • Brown was the first livery selected for the company by Brunel nearly 108 years ago, and it continued until October, 1864, when the Directors decided that, to relieve the uniformity, carriages of all classes should be painted white from the waist upwards.1943 March–April, “G.W.R. Rolling Stock Colours”, in Railway Magazine, page 106

   Antonyms:

   disuniformity, nonuniformity

3. (usually) Often followed by of: especially of one's life: lack of variety; tedious sameness; monotony.

   Antonyms:

   disuniformity, nonuniformity

4. (usually) The condition or state described by uniformitarianism (“the scientific principle that natural laws and processes operated in the past in the same way and at the same rates that they operate today, and sometimes in the same way everywhere in the universe as well”).
   • It must be granted at once, to the advocates of this geological uniformity, that we are not arbitrarily to assume the existence of catastrophes. The degree of uniformity and continuity with which terromotive forces have acted, must be collected, not from any gratuitous hypothesis, but from the...1837, William Whewell, “The Two Antagonist Doctrines of Geology”, in History of the Inductive Sciences, from the Earliest to the Present Times. […], volume III, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […]...

   Antonyms:

   disuniformity, nonuniformity

5. (especially, usually) Adherence to or conformity with one viewpoint, set of observances, etc.
   • Novv, vvhen the father of their Church, vvho gladly vvould heale the ſoare of the daugheer^([sic]) of his people ſoftly and ſleightly, and make the beſt of it, findeth ſo great fault vvith them for their oddes and iarring; vve hope the children haue no great cauſe to vaunt of their vniformitie.1611, [Miles Smith], “The Translators to the Reader”, in The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC
   • VVhither Mr. [William] Dell is arrived, let his Sermon againſt Reformation, and his Treatiſe againſt Uniformity vvitneſs.1651, Richard Baxter, chapter XIV, in Plain Scripture Proof of Infants Church-membership and Baptism: […], London: […] Robert White; and are to be sold by Thomas Underhil, […], and Francis Tyton […]...

   Antonyms:

   disuniformity, nonuniformity