Agency Dictionary
Materialist
nounPronunciation: /məˈtɪər.i.ə.lɪst/
In Portuguese: Materialista
Philosophy & EthicsWhat does “Materialist” mean?
A person who adheres to materialism, believing that physical matter is the only reality.
Etymology
Formed from material and the agent suffix -ist. Material entered English from Old French materiel and Late Latin materialis (pertaining to matter), ultimately from Latin materia (wood, matter, substance). The suffix -ist, from Greek -istes via Latin and French, marks the person as a follower of a doctrine. The philosophical sense, referring to a thinker who holds that only physical matter exists, appeared in English in the late 17th century.
Synonyms
- physicalist
Word family
- material
- materialism
- materialistic
- materialize
Usage examples
And a scientific materialist like Sagan, may look for meaning in what can be observed, measured and understood.
Concepts
- CosmologyCosmology is the branch of philosophy and astrophysics that investigates the origin, fundamental structure, and overarching order of the universe. In broader…
- Scientific MaterialismScientific materialism is the philosophical worldview asserting that physical matter and natural processes constitute the sole reality of existence. It holds that all…
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- Antithesisnoun
- A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
- Discursiveadjective
- Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
- Treatisenoun
- A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
- Maximnoun
- A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
- rhetoricnoun
- The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
- Tangibleadjective
- Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
- Holisticadjective
- Characterized by the comprehension of parts as intimately interconnected and explicable only in reference to the whole.
- Abyssnoun
- A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, either in physical geography or metaphorical psychological depth. It evokes feelings of unfathomable emptiness or existential peril.
- aestheticsnoun
- A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, artistic taste, and style.
- Affectnoun
- An expressed or experienced emotion, feeling, or visceral response to a stimulus in psychology and philosophy.
- Agapenoun
- A selfless, unconditional, and altruistic form of love often associated in theology with divine charity.
- Ambiguitynoun
- The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness or uncertainty of meaning.
Also from these editions: terms
- Artisannoun
- A skilled craftsperson who manufactures tangible or digital goods with exceptional manual dexterity and care.
- Chronicadjective
- Persisting for a long period of time or recurring constantly as a deep habit or condition.
- Delusionnoun
- A false belief or opinion maintained despite contrary factual evidence or sound logical reasoning.
- Detachmentnoun
- The state of being emotionally objective, aloof, or free from clingy psychological attachments to outcomes, possessions, or dogmas. In Eastern philosophy, it represents spiritual liberation.
- Electromechanicaladjective
- Combining both electrical and mechanical mechanisms to perform operations or transmit data.
- Frictionnoun
- Resistance encountered when two surfaces or systems interact, or operational resistance hindering user completion of an action in digital interfaces.
- Habitualadjective
- Done by way of habit or regular established custom rather than deliberate reflection.
- Monetizeverb
- To convert an activity, audience, digital asset, or service into legal currency or financial revenue.
- Thresholdnoun
- A boundary, doorway, or entry limit that must be crossed or satisfied for an effect or permission to take place.
- Transcendencenoun
- Existence or experience beyond normal physical limits and everyday material reality.
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