Standard Lemma guide

eclecticism

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The quality of being eclectic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The quality of being eclectic.

An approach to thought that draws upon multiple theories.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The quality of being eclectic.

Any form of art that borrows from multiple other styles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: art, arts

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The selection of diverse witnesses to a text.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences, textual-criticism

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

making decisions on the basis of what seems best instead of following some single doctrine or style

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: eclectic method

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decision making, deciding

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English eclectic Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English eclecticism From eclectic + -ism.

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: eclecticisme — the quality of being eclectic
  • Dutch: eclectisch — the quality of being eclectic
  • Finnish: eklektisyys — the quality of being eclectic
  • French: éclectisme — the quality of being eclectic
  • Polish: eklektyzm — the quality of being eclectic
  • Portuguese: ecletismo — the quality of being eclectic
  • Spanish: eclecticismo — the quality of being eclectic
  • Catalan: eclecticisme — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • Czech: eklekticismus — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • Czech: eklektismus — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • Finnish: eklektismi — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • French: éclectisme — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • Macedonian: еклекти́зам (eklektízam) — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • Polish: eklektyzm — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • Portuguese: ecletismo — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • Spanish: eclecticismo — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • Swedish: eklekticism — philosophical approach that draws on multiple theories
  • Catalan: eclecticisme — form of art based on multiple styles
  • Chinese Mandarin: 折中主義 /折中主义 (zhézhōng zhǔyì) — form of art based on multiple styles
  • Czech: eklekticismus — form of art based on multiple styles
  • Czech: eklektismus — form of art based on multiple styles
  • Finnish: eklektismi — form of art based on multiple styles
  • French: éclectisme — form of art based on multiple styles
  • German: Eklektizismus — form of art based on multiple styles
  • Kazakh: эклектизм (éklektizm) — form of art based on multiple styles
  • Polish: eklektyzm — form of art based on multiple styles
  • Portuguese: ecletismo — form of art based on multiple styles
  • Spanish: eclecticismo — form of art based on multiple styles
  • Swedish: eklekticism — form of art based on multiple styles
Real reading context

eclecticism in complete knowledge articles