materialist
Americannoun
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a person who is markedly more concerned with material things than with spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.
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an adherent of philosophical materialism.
adjective
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concerned with material things; materialistic.
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of or relating to philosophical materialism or its adherents.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of materialist
From the New Latin word māteriālista, dating back to 1660–70. See material, -ist
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Materialist thinkers like Hobbes—who argued that ghosts “are in no place; that is to say, that are no where; that is to say, that seeming to be somewhat, are nothing”—were met with fierce opposition.
From Economist • Oct. 26, 2017
Materialist Holmes, with his suppleness, curiosity and gusto, was perennially young; Socialist Laski, with his dogmas and his immense learning, was prematurely old.
From Time Magazine Archive
Like that book, The Master of the House treats of the Christ story; but Authoress Hall, longtime a Council member of the Society for Psychical Research, has ideas about Christ that would wilt Materialist Moore.
From Time Magazine Archive
The readings are intensive and far-ranging, include Materialist Ludwig Feuerbach, Existentialist Paul Tillich, as well as the doctor angelicus, St. Thomas.
From Time Magazine Archive
The present work generally proceeds upon the third, or Materialist doctrine.
From Logic Deductive and Inductive by Read, Carveth
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.
