nominalism

(-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

Origin: Fr nominalisme: see nominal & -ism

Related Forms:

See nominalism in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
Philosophy
The doctrine holding that abstract concepts, general terms, or universals have no independent existence but exist only as names.

Related Forms:

  • nomˈi·nal·ist noun
  • nomˌi·nal·isˈtic adjective

Learn more about nominalism

link/cite print suggestion box