adj · 6 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˌɹɪəˈlɪs.tɪk/
/ˌɹiːjəˈlɪs.tɪk/
/ˌɹiːəˈlɪs.tɪk/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
New-Jersey:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪstɪk
CMU ARPABET:R IY2 AH0 L IH1 S T IH0 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Expressed or represented as being accurate, practicable, or not idealistic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
A realistic appraisal of the situation.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: raw
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
A realistic novel about the Victorian poor.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Possible or practical to achieve; based on what is real or practical.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a realistic goal
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective
Meaning 4
aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a realistic description
a realistic view of the possibilities
a realistic appraisal of our chances
the actors tried to create a realistic portrayal of the Africans
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: unrealistic
5
adjective
Meaning 5
of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of realism
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a realistic system of thought
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
representing what is real; not abstract or ideal
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
realistic portraiture
a realistic novel
in naturalistic colors
the school of naturalistic writers
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: naturalistic
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(H)reh1-der. Proto-Indo-European *(H)reh1ís Proto-Italic *reis Classical Latin rēs Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Late Latin reālisder. Old French reelbor. Middle English real English real Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist English realist Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English realistic From realist + -ic.
Across languages
Translations
59 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Asturian:
realista
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Belarusian:
рэалісты́чны
(realistýčny)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Bulgarian:
реалисти́чен
(realistíčen)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Catalan:
realista
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Chinese Mandarin:
現實 /现实
(xiánshí)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Chinese Mandarin:
栩栩如生
(xǔxǔrúshēng)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Czech:
realistický
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Danish:
realistisk
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Dutch:
realistisch
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Finnish:
realistinen
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Finnish:
todenmukainen
— expressed or represented as being accurate
French:
réaliste
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Galician:
realista
— expressed or represented as being accurate
German:
realistisch
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Hindi:
वास्तविक
(vāstavik)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Hungarian:
realista
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Irish:
réadúil
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Italian:
realistico
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Japanese:
現実的
(genjitsuteki)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Korean:
현실적
(hyeonsiljeok)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Latin:
reālisticus
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Polish:
realistyczny
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Portuguese:
realístico
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Romanian:
realist
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Russian:
реалисти́чный
(realistíčnyj)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Slovak:
realistický
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Spanish:
realista
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Spanish:
realístico
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Tagalog:
makatotohanan
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Thai:
สมจริง
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Turkish:
gerçekçi
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Ukrainian:
реалісти́чний
(realistýčnyj)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Yiddish:
רעאַליסטיש
(realistish)
— expressed or represented as being accurate
Bulgarian:
реалистичен
(realističen)
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Catalan:
realista
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Chinese Mandarin:
現實 /现实
(xiánshí)
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Czech:
realistický
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Danish:
realistisk
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Esperanto:
vivovera
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Finnish:
realistinen
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
French:
réaliste
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
German:
realistisch
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Hebrew:
רֵיאָלִיסְטִי
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Hindi:
व्यवहारिक
(vyavhārik)
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Hindi:
वास्तविक
(vāstavik)
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Hungarian:
realisztikus
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Hungarian:
realista
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Irish:
réalaíoch
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Latin:
vērīsimilis
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Portuguese:
realístico
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Romanian:
realist
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Russian:
реалисти́чный
(realistíčnyj)
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Russian:
реалисти́ческий
(realistíčeskij)
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Spanish:
realista
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Spanish:
realístico
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Swedish:
realistisk
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Thai:
สมจริง
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Turkish:
gerçekçi
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Yiddish:
רעאַליסטיש
(realistish)
— relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
