Agency Dictionary
Dogmatic
adjectivePronunciation: /dɒɡˈmæt.ɪk/
In Portuguese: Dogmático
Philosophy & EthicsWhat does “Dogmatic” mean?
Characterized by the expression of opinions strongly and as if they were unquestionable facts without proper evidential backing.
Etymology
Through French dogmatique and Late Latin dogmaticus, from Greek dogmatikos, "relating to doctrines", from dogma, "what seems right, opinion, decree", a noun from dokein ("to seem, to think"). In ancient philosophy and medicine the dogmatics were schools that reasoned from stated principles, as opposed to sceptics and empirics. In English the word dates from the 17th century, and the unfavourable sense of asserting opinions as beyond question soon became the main one.
Usage note
Almost always a criticism in everyday use. In theology, dogmatic is neutral and means relating to the official teachings of a church, as in dogmatic theology.
Synonyms
- opinionated
- doctrinaire
- inflexible
- rigid
- peremptory
- categorical
Word family
- dogma
- dogmatism
- dogmatist
- dogmatically
- dogmatize
Rhymes with
- automatic
- dramatic
- static
- fanatic
- erratic
- attic
- democratic
- systematic
Usage examples
They pursued knowledge and truth without dogmatic, political, biased, or superstitious constraints.
Concepts
- RationalismRationalism is a philosophical position that identifies reason rather than sensory perception as the primary source and test of knowledge. It holds that foundational…
- The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries that championed reason, individualism, and empirical science. It…
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
- Desolationnoun
- A state of complete emptiness, loneliness, or destruction; deep sorrow caused by abandonment or acute loss.
- Discernmentnoun
- The ability to judge well, perceive keen distinctions, and grasp obscure psychological or practical truths.
- Empiricistnoun
- A person who supports the theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience. In practice, an empiricist insists on tangible observation and verifiable testing before accepting a claim.
- Hemlocknoun
- A highly poisonous biennial herbaceous plant of the parsley family with small white flowers, historically used as a method of state execution in classical Greece.
- metamodernadjective
- Relating to a cultural paradigm that oscillates between modern sincerity and postmodern irony.
- Obsoleteadjective
- No longer produced or used; out of date because a newer, more efficient replacement has emerged.
- Rationalistnoun
- A person who bases their opinions and actions on reason and logic rather than on religious belief or emotional response. In philosophy, a rationalist maintains that knowledge is primarily innate and deduced.
- Secularadjective
- Denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis; worldly rather than sacred.
- Skepticnoun
- A person inclined to question, doubt, or suspend judgment regarding accepted opinions, claims, or apparent facts until verifiable proof is presented.
- Superficialitynoun
- The quality of lacking depth of character, serious thought, or profound substance, remaining confined to outward appearances.
- Inertianoun
- The tendency of an object to remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force, or a state of sluggish inaction in organizations.
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