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empiricism

[ em-pir-uh-siz-uhm ]
/ ɛmˈpɪr əˌsɪz əm /
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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.
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Origin of empiricism

First recorded in 1650–60; empiric + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM empiricism

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

How to use empiricism in a sentence

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 experienceCompare 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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