I.the whole.
I. Lit.: “universitas generis humani,” Cic. N. D. 2, 65, 164: “in universitate rerum,” i. e. in the universe, id. ib. 1, 43, 120: “communem rerum naturam universitatemque omnia continentem,” id. ib. 1, 15, 39 B. and K.: “hoc interdictum ad universitatem bonorum, non ad singulas res pertinet,” Dig. 43, 2, 1: “aedificii,” ib. 41, 1, 7: “aedium,” ib. 41, 3, 23: “non tantum universitati ejus attendas, verum etiam particulas persequaris,” Plin. Ep. 1, 8, 3: “orationis,” id. ib. 2, 5, 7; cf. id. ib. 3, 15, 5: res per universitatem adquirere, in the aggregate, of succession to the entire property of a person, Gai Inst. 2, 97 sq.; 2, 191; Dig. 43, 3, 1, § 13.—
II. Transf., concr.
A. The whole number of things, the whole world, the universe: “universitatis corpus,” Cic. Univ. 5; so id. ib. 12: “volubilis,” Plin. 2, 5, 4, § 11: “ambitus terrae totius ad magnitudinem universitatis instar obtuet puncti,” Amm. 15, 1, 4.—
B. A number of persons associated into one body, a society, company, community, guild, corporation, etc. (jurid. Lat.): “universitatis sunt, non singulorum, veluti quae in civitatibus sunt theatra et stadia et similia et siqua alia sunt communia civitatum,” Dig. 1, 8, 6: quae (res) publicae sunt nullius in bonis creduntur, ipsius enim universitatis esse creduntur, Gai Inst. 2, 11: “quod cujusque universitatis nomine vel contra eam agetur,” Dig. 3, 4, 2: “de libertis universitatum,” ib. 38, tit. 3; Gai Inst. 2, 11.