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nominalism

American  
[nom-uh-nl-iz-uhm] / ˈnɒm ə nlˌɪz əm /

noun

  1. (in medieval philosophy) the doctrine that general or abstract words do not stand for objectively existing entities and that universals are no more than names assigned to them.


nominalism British  
/ ˈnɒmɪnəˌlɪzəm /

noun

  1. the philosophical theory that the variety of objects to which a single general word, such as dog, applies have nothing in common but the name Compare conceptualism realism

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of nominalism

From the French word nominalisme, dating back to 1830–40. See nominal, -ism

Vocabulary lists containing nominalism

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.

At the U.N., he rejected a “declarationist nominalism which would assuage our consciences.”

From The New Yorker • Sep. 30, 2015

Such is the magnitude of these situations and their toll in innocent lives, that we must avoid every temptation to fall into a declarationist nominalism which would assuage our consciences.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2015

We have learned to hate all nominalism, all fiction in government, in business and, above all, in personal character.

From Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And Psychic by Gulick, Sidney Lewis

The work deals with the current difficulties between nominalism and realism, the relation between the individual and the genus or species.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg

His individualism stood half-way between the former's nominalism and the latter's transcendentalism and subjectivism.

From The Age of the Reformation by Smith, Preserved

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