ontological

[ on-tl-oj-i-kuhl ]
See synonyms for ontological on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of or relating to ontology, the branch of metaphysics that studies the nature of existence or being as such; metaphysical: Some of the U.S. founders held an ontological belief in natural rights.

Origin of ontological

1
First recorded in 1700–10; ontolog(y) + -ical
  • Sometimes on·to·log·ic, on·tol·o·gis·tic .

Other words from ontological

  • non·on·to·log·i·cal, adjective
  • un·on·to·log·i·cal, adjective

Words Nearby ontological

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

How to use ontological in a sentence

  • The author asks himself what would be the proper method, the ontological or the psychological.

    Bouvard and Pcuchet | Gustave Flaubert
  • But this feat is far surpassed by his famous ontological proof of Theism.

    History of Modern Philosophy | Alfred William Benn
  • Thus the argument from causation throws us back on the so-called ontological argument, whose futility has already been shown.

    History of Modern Philosophy | Alfred William Benn