empiricism

[ em-pir-uh-siz-uhm ]

See synonyms for empiricism on Thesaurus.com

noun

empirical method or practice.
Philosophy. the doctrine that all knowledge is derived from sense experience.: Compare rationalism (def. 2).

undue reliance upon experience, as in medicine; quackery.
an empirical conclusion.

Origin of empiricism

First recorded in 1650–60; empiric + -ism

Other words from empiricism

em·pir·i·cist, noun, adjective
an·ti·em·pir·i·cism, noun
an·ti·em·pir·i·cist, noun, adjective
non·em·pir·i·cism, noun
pro·em·pir·i·cism, noun, adjective
pro·em·pir·i·cist, noun

Words Nearby empiricism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use empiricism in a sentence

Roosevelt, the Emperor of empiricism, never learned the lesson Keynes tried to teach.
Stop Trying to Balance Budgets! | Harold Evans | June 28, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
If President-elect Obama truly does forecast a new Age of empiricism, then Larry is the best choice for Treasury.
Larry Summers for Treasury | Peter Hopkins | November 13, 2008 | THE DAILY BEAST
Throughout civilized Europe a sort of carnival of empiricism prevailed.
Art in England | Dutton Cook
Aristotle, by long odds the greatest naturalist of antiquity, laid the first philosophic basis for empiricism.
An Epitome of the History of Medicine | Roswell Park
To the vocal scientist, "wearing the voice into place" represents the depth of empiricism.
The Psychology of Singing | David C. Taylor

This change in the character of vocal instruction will not be in any sense a return to empiricism.
The Psychology of Singing | David C. Taylor
The term empiricism is, however, now applied to any philosophical system which finds all its material in experience.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia | Various

British Dictionary definitions for empiricism

empiricism

/ (ɛmˈpɪrɪˌsɪzəm) /

noun

philosophy the doctrine that all knowledge of matters of fact derives from experience and that the mind is not furnished with a set of concepts in advance of experience: Compare intuitionism, rationalism
the use of empirical methods

medical quackery; charlatanism

Derived forms of empiricism

empiricist, noun, adjective

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

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