Latin 'universum' — literally 'turned into one,' from 'unus' + 'versus,' multiplicity folded into a whole.
All existing matter and space considered as a whole; the totality of all things.
From Latin 'ūniversum' (the whole world, all things), neuter of 'ūniversus' (all together, whole, entire), composed of 'ūnus' (one) + 'versus' (turned), past participle of 'vertere' (to turn), from PIE *wert- (to turn). The literal meaning is 'turned into one' or 'combined into a whole' — everything turned toward a single unity. The Romans conceived of all existence as diversity that has been rotated, folded, and combined into a single totality. Key roots: ūnus (Latin: "one"), *wert- (Proto-Indo-European: "to turn").
The words 'universe,' 'university,' 'verse,' 'reverse,' 'diverse,' and 'controversy' all descend from the Latin verb 'vertere' (to turn). A university is a community 'turned into one'; a verse is a 'turning' of the plow (one line of writing); a controversy is a 'turning against'; and the universe is everything 'turned into one.'