RATIONALIST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does rationalist mean? 

• RATIONALIST (noun)
  The noun RATIONALIST has 1 sense:

1. someone who emphasizes observable facts and excludes metaphysical speculation about origins or ultimate causes

  Familiarity information: RATIONALIST used as a noun is very rare.

• RATIONALIST (adjective)
  The adjective RATIONALIST has 1 sense:

1. of or relating to or characteristic of rationalism

  Familiarity information: RATIONALIST used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RATIONALIST (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who emphasizes observable facts and excludes metaphysical speculation about origins or ultimate causes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

positivist; rationalist

Hypernyms ("rationalist" is a kind of...):

nonreligious person (a person who does not manifest devotion to a deity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rationalist"):

logical positivist (someone who maintains that any statement that cannot be verified empirically is meaningless)

Derivation:

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

• RATIONALIST (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to or characteristic of rationalism

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

rationalist philosophy

Pertainym:

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