Occam

or Ock·ham

[ ok-uhm ]

/ ˈɒk əm /

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noun

William of, died 1349?, English scholastic philosopher.

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Question 1 of 6

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shall

should

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OTHER WORDS FROM Occam

Oc·cam·ism, nounOc·cam·ist, Oc·cam·ite, nounOc·cam·is·tic, adjective

Words nearby Occam

O Canada, “O Captain, My Captain”, ocarina, O'Casey, occ., Occam, Occam's razor, occas., occasion, occasional, occasionalism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Occam in a sentence

It’s Occam’s Razor, preferring the simple, avoiding unnecessary complications.
Ian and the Limits of Rationality - Issue 107: The Edge|Simon DeDeo|September 22, 2021|Nautilus
Another argument involves evolution and applies Occam’s razor—the simplest explanation is usually the right one.
Person, Woman, Man, Camera, TV - Issue 93: Forerunners|Adithya Rajagopalan|December 2, 2020|Nautilus
The cause of the Nominalists was almost desperate, till Occam in the fourteenth century revived the dying embers.
Curiosities of Literature, Vol. 1 (of 3)|Isaac D'Israeli
Melanchthon read the writings of William Occam, an old scholastic, with great zeal.
The Life of Philip Melanchthon|Karl Friedrich Ledderhose

This empirical identification of meaning by means of the specific fact of suggestion cuts deep—if Occam's razor still cuts.
Essays in Experimental Logic|John Dewey
His work consists in the systematic development of the views of his master, William of Occam.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Slice 7|Various
The school of St. Thomas engaged in it early against the theory of Occam, which was quite similar to that which we combat.
Lectures on the true, the beautiful and the good|Victor Cousin

British Dictionary definitions for Occam

Occam

/ (ˈɒkəm) /

noun

a variant spelling of (William of) Ockham

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