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nominalism definition

nomi·nal·ism (-iz′əm)

noun

a philosophical doctrine of the late Middle Ages that all universal or abstract terms are mere necessities of thought or conveniences of language and therefore exist as names only with no ideal realities corresponding to them

Etymology: Fr nominalisme: see nominal & -ism

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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