legalism
[ lee-guh-liz-uhm ]
/ ˈli gəˌlɪz əm /
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noun
strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to law or prescription, especially to the letter rather than the spirit.
Theology.
- the doctrine that salvation is gained through good works.
- the judging of conduct in terms of adherence to precise laws.
(initial capital letter) (in Chinese philosophy) the principles and practices of a school of political theorists advocating strict legal control over all activities, a system of rewards and punishments uniform for all classes, and an absolute monarchy.
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OTHER WORDS FROM legalism
le·gal·ist, nounle·gal·is·tic, adjectivele·gal·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbWords nearby legalism
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for legalism
British Dictionary definitions for legalism
legalism
/ (ˈliːɡəˌlɪzəm) /
noun
strict adherence to the law, esp the stressing of the letter of the law rather than its spirit
Derived forms of legalism
legalist, noun, adjectiveCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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