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rigorism

American  
[rig-uh-riz-uhm] / ˈrɪg əˌrɪz əm /

noun

  1. extreme strictness.

  2. (in Roman Catholic moral philosophy) the theory that in doubtful cases of conscience no course may be followed that is contrary to Catholic law and doctrine.


rigorism British  
/ ˈrɪɡəˌrɪzəm /

noun

  1. strictness in judgment or conduct

  2. the religious cult of extreme self-denial

  3. RC theol the doctrine that in cases of doubt in moral matters the stricter course must always be followed

"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 rigorism

From the French word rigorisme, dating back to 1695–1705. See rigor, -ism


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.

See Examples For:

The quarrel over “crossed arms” during prayers, which, for a time, tore Côte d’Ivoire’s Muslim community apart, illustrates this kind of rigorism.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2018

Though not as extreme as Mandeville's rigorism, it had repeatedly been condemned by Catholic authorities as "rigorisme outré."

From A Letter to Dion by Jacob Viner

The passage from Blewitt is not, of itself, manifestly rigoristic, while the position attributed to Mandeville is rigorism at its most extreme.

From A Letter to Dion by Jacob Viner

But as every special study tends to rely upon its own conceptions, pietism, involving as it does a relation to God, is replaced by rigorism and intuitionism.

From The Approach to Philosophy by Ralph Barton Perry

They were men full of narrowness and rigorism.

From The Progressionists, and Angela. by Conrad von Bolanden

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