Standard Lemma guide

rationalism

noun · 7 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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  • Australian, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəlɪzəm/
  • Mid-Atlantic, US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The theory that reason is a source of knowledge independent of and superior to sense perception.

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

2

noun

Meaning 2

The theory that knowledge may be derived by deductions from a priori concepts (such as axioms, postulates or earlier deductions).

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

A view that the fundamental method for problem solving is through reason and experience rather than faith, inspiration, revelation, intuition or authority.

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

4

noun

Meaning 4

Elaboration of theories by use of reason alone without appeal to experience, such as in mathematical systems.

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

5

noun

Meaning 5

the doctrine that reason is the right basis for regulating conduct

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: freethinking

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: doctrine, philosophy, philosophical system, school of thought, ism

6

noun

Meaning 6

(philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge is acquired by reason without resort to experience

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: philosophical doctrine, philosophical theory

7

noun

Meaning 7

the theological doctrine that human reason rather than divine revelation establishes religious truth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: theological doctrine

Narrower terms: deism, free thought

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English rational 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 rationalism From rational + -ism.

Across languages

Translations

35 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: عَقْلَانِيَّة (ʕaqlāniyya) — philosophical theory
  • Arabic: عَقْلِيَّة (ʕaqliyya) — philosophical theory
  • Belarusian: рацыяналі́зм (racyjanalízm) — philosophical theory
  • Catalan: racionalisme — philosophical theory
  • Chinese Mandarin: 理性主義 /理性主义 (lǐxìngzhǔyì) — philosophical theory
  • Chinese Mandarin: 合理主義 /合理主义 (hélǐzhǔyì) — philosophical theory
  • Chinese Mandarin: 唯理論 /唯理论 (wéilǐlùn) — philosophical theory
  • Chinese Mandarin: 純理論 /纯理论 (chúnlǐlùn) — philosophical theory
  • Czech: racionalismus — philosophical theory
  • Dutch: rationalisme — philosophical theory
  • Esperanto: raciismo — philosophical theory
  • Finnish: rationalismi — philosophical theory
  • French: rationalisme — philosophical theory
  • Georgian: რაციონალიზმი (racionalizmi) — philosophical theory
  • German: Rationalismus — philosophical theory
  • Greek: ορθολογισμός (orthologismós) — philosophical theory
  • Hebrew: רַצְיוֹנָלִיזְם (ratsionalízm) — philosophical theory
  • Hebrew: שְׂכַלְתָּנוּת (skhaltanút) — philosophical theory
  • Hindi: तर्कबुद्धिवाद (tarkabuddhivād) — philosophical theory
  • Hindi: बुद्धिवाद (buddhivād) — philosophical theory
  • Hindi: तर्कवाद (tarkavād) — philosophical theory
  • Indonesian: rasionalisme — philosophical theory
  • Italian: razionalismo — philosophical theory
  • Latvian: racionālisms — philosophical theory
  • Malayalam: യുക്തിവാദം (yuktivādaṁ) — philosophical theory
  • Polish: racjonalizm — philosophical theory
  • Portuguese: racionalismo — philosophical theory
  • Romanian: raționalism — philosophical theory
  • Russian: рационали́зм (racionalízm) — philosophical theory
  • Serbo-Croatian: racionalizam — philosophical theory
  • Spanish: racionalismo — philosophical theory
  • Tamil: பகுத்தறிவியம் (pakuttaṟiviyam) — philosophical theory
  • Thai: เหตุผลนิยม — philosophical theory
  • Ukrainian: раціоналі́зм (racionalízm) — philosophical theory
  • Yiddish: ראַציאָנאַליזם (ratsyonalizm) — philosophical theory
Real reading context

rationalism in complete knowledge articles