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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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