absolutism
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Etymology
First attested in 1753 (in the theological sense); attested in 1830 in the political sense. From absolute + -ism, based after French absolutisme.[1]
Pronunciation
Noun
absolutism (countable and uncountable, plural absolutisms)
- (theology) Doctrine of preordination; doctrine of absolute decrees; doctrine that God acts in an absolute manner. [First attested in the mid 18th century.][1]
- (political science, sociology) The principles or practice of absolute or arbitrary government; Synonym of despotism. [First attested in the early 19th century.][1]
- 1859, John Gorham Palfrey, chapter IV, in History of New England, volume I, page 217:
- The element of absolutism and prelacy was more controlling in the counsels of the rival corporation.
- 2019, John Gascoigne, Science and the State, page 54:
- As absolutism became more consolidated in Europe, and particularly in France, such nonabsolutist states tended to define themselves in opposition to their absolutist rivals: hence, those features of their government which differed from absolutism tended to be given special prominence.
- (philosophy) Belief in a metaphysical absolute; belief in Absolute. [First attested in the late 19th century.][1]
- Positiveness; the state of being absolute.
- Hyponym: Meiklejohnian absolutism
- (rare) The characteristic of being absolute in nature or scope; absoluteness.
- 2003, Ruth R. Wisse, The Modern Jewish Canon: A Journey Through Language, →ISBN:
- It was the absolutism of his ambition to be a perfect writer (and perhaps also the perfect son) that imperiled him.
Derived terms
Translations
theology: doctrine of preordination; doctrine of absolute decrees
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political science: absolute or arbitrary government; despotism
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belief in a metaphysical absolute
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the state of being absolute; the system or doctrine of the absolute or unconditional
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positiveness
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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See also
References
- Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “absolutism”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 9.
Further reading
- “absolutism”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- “absolutism”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
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