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nomothetic

American  
[nom-uh-thet-ik] / ˌnɒm əˈθɛt ɪk /

adjective

  1. giving or establishing laws; legislative.

  2. founded upon or derived from law.

  3. Psychology. pertaining to or involving the study or formulation of general or universal laws (opposed to idiographic).

nomothetic British  
/ ˌnɒməˈθɛtɪk /

adjective

  1. giving or enacting laws; legislative

  2. psychol of or relating to the search for general laws or traits, esp in personality theory Compare idiographic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nomothetic

From the Greek word nomothetikós, dating back to 1650–60. See nomo-, thetic

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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