rationalism

noun

the doctrine that reason is the right basis for regulating conduct

the theological doctrine that human reason rather than divine revelation establishes religious truth

(philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge is acquired by reason without resort to experience

Roots

ratiorat- · Latin · reason, reckoning

Synonyms for rationalism

rationalityn secularismn philosophyn

Synonyms & related words for rationalism

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Words related to rationalism

Explore words related to rationalism — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include freethinking, antirationalism, rationalist, rationalistically, rationalistic, antirationalist, empiricism, intellectualism. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for rationalism

Common synonyms for rationalism include rationality, secularism, philosophy — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does rationalism come from?

The word rationalism breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root rat-, from Latin ratio (“reason, reckoning”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.