pluralism

American  

[ploor-uh-liz-uhm] / ˈplʊər əˌlɪz əm /

noun

1. Philosophy.

   1. a theory that there is more than one basic substance or principle.

   2. a theory that reality consists of two or more independent elements.

2. Ecclesiastical.

   1. the holding by one person of two or more offices at the same time.

   2. plurality.

3. Sociology. cultural pluralism.

4. state or quality of being plural.

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pluralism British  

/ ˈplʊərəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the holding by a single person of more than one ecclesiastical benefice or office

2. sociol a theory of society as several autonomous but interdependent groups which either share power or continuously compete for power

3. the existence in a society of groups having distinctive ethnic origin, cultural forms, religions, etc

4. a theory that views the power of employers as being balanced by the power of trade unions in industrial relations such that the interests of both sides can be catered for

5. philosophy

   1. the metaphysical doctrine that reality consists of more than two basic types of substance Compare monism dualism

   2. the metaphysical doctrine that reality consists of independent entities rather than one unchanging whole Compare monism absolutism

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pluralism Cultural  

1. A conviction that various religious, ethnic, racial, and political groups should be allowed to thrive in a single society. In metaphysics, pluralism can also mean an alternative to dualism and monism. A pluralist asserts that there are more than two kinds of principles, whereas the dualist maintains there are only two and a monist only one.

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Other Word Forms

• pluralist noun
• pluralistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of pluralism

First recorded in 1810–20; plural + -ism

Explanation

If you believe in pluralism, you believe that people of all races, classes, religions, and backgrounds should be able to get along on equal footing in society. Can you hear the word plural, meaning "more than one," in pluralism? Someone who believes in pluralism believes that there are many different ways to live, and thinks that government and society should be structured in such a way as to encourage and appreciate people's differences. The extreme opposite of pluralism is totalitarianism, when one supreme dictator makes all the decisions and no one can contradict him. In the Catholic Church, pluralism is also the practice of holding more than one office at once.

Example Sentences

To recommit to ideals that have made a strong liberal arts education foundational to American democracy: critical thinking, dialogue, pluralism, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

To better understand everyday eating behavior, the researchers call for methodological pluralism.

From Science Daily • Jan. 5, 2026

I have lived its generosity, its pluralism, its capacity to absorb difference and be enlarged by it.

From Salon • Dec. 21, 2025

When Jews can gather openly, when they can sing and celebrate without fear, it signals that the country’s commitments—to equality, pluralism, and mutual care—are holding.

From Slate • Dec. 19, 2025

My education may have made it inevitable that I would become a citizen of the secular city, but I have come to embrace the city’s values: social mobility; pluralism; egalitarianism; self-reliance.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• fusion