idealism
English
Etymology
First attested 1796, from ideal + -ism.
Noun
idealism (countable and uncountable; plural idealisms)
- The property of a person of having high ideals that are usually unrealizable or at odds with practical life.
- (philosophy) An approach to philosophical enquiry which asserts that direct and immediate knowledge can only be had of ideas or mental pictures.
Synonyms
- (philosophy): philosophical idealism
Antonyms
- (philosophy): materialism
Derived terms
- epistemological idealism
- metaphysical idealism
Related terms
Translations
property of a person of having high ideals that are usually unrealizable
an approach to philosophical enquiry
See also
References
- idealism in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- idealism in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913