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nomothetic

American  
[nom-uh-thet-ik] / ˌnɒm əˈθɛt ɪk /

adjective

  1. giving or establishing laws; legislative.

  2. founded upon or derived from law.

  3. Psychology.  pertaining to or involving the study or formulation of general or universal laws (idiographic ).

nomothetic British  
/ ˌnɒməˈθɛtɪk /

adjective

  1. giving or enacting laws; legislative

  2. psychol of or relating to the search for general laws or traits, esp in personality theory Compare idiographic

"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

Etymology

Origin of nomothetic

From the Greek word nomothetikós, dating back to 1650–60. See nomo-, thetic

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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.

“The nomothetic approach takes precedence, while the detailed study of an individual patient is marginalized as trivia.”

From New York Times

But Berlin noted that knowledge can be nomothetic or idiographic.

From Scientific American

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.