noun · 3 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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CMU ARPABET:R EH1 L AH0 T IH0 V IH2 Z AH0 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The theory, especially in ethics or aesthetics, that conceptions of truth and moral values are not absolute but are relative to the persons or groups holding them.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: 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
A specific such theory, advocated by a particular philosopher or school of thought.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
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
(philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that all criteria of judgment are relative to the individuals and situations involved
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
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English relative 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 relativism From relative + -ism.
Across languages
Translations
27 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
relativisme
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Arabic:
نِسْبَوِيَّة
(nisbawiyya)
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Armenian:
ռելյատիվիզմ
(ṙelyativizm)
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Bashkir:
релятивизм
(relyativizm)
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Catalan:
relativisme
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Chinese Mandarin:
相對主義 /相对主义
(xiāngduìzhǔyì)
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Czech:
relativismus
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Finnish:
relativismi
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Finnish:
suhteellisuusajattelu
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
French:
relativisme
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Galician:
relativismo
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
German:
Relativismus
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Irish:
coibhneasacht
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Italian:
relativismo
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Japanese:
相対主義
(sōtaishugi)
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Kazakh:
релятивизм
(relätivizm)
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Kyrgyz:
релятивизм
(relyativizm)
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Malay:
relativisme
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Malay:
nisbiah
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Norwegian Bokmål:
relativisme
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Polish:
relatywizm
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Portuguese:
relativismo
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Romanian:
relativism
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Russian:
релятиви́зм
(reljativízm)
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Serbo-Croatian:
relativizam
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Serbo-Croatian:
релативизам
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
Spanish:
relativismo
— theory that truth and moral values are relative
