REALIST

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does realist mean? 

• REALIST (noun)
  The noun REALIST has 3 senses:

1. a philosopher who believes that universals are real and exist independently of anyone thinking of them

2. a person who accepts the world as it literally is and deals with it accordingly

3. a painter who represents the world realistically and not in an idealized or romantic style

  Familiarity information: REALIST used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REALIST (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A philosopher who believes that universals are real and exist independently of anyone thinking of them

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

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

philosopher (a specialist in philosophy)

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

pragmatist (an adherent of philosophical pragmatism)

Derivation:

realism ((philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that abstract concepts exist independent of their names)

realism (the state of being actual or real)

realistic (of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of realism)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A person who accepts the world as it literally is and deals with it accordingly

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

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

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

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

pragmatist (a person who takes a practical approach to problems and is concerned primarily with the success or failure of her actions)

Derivation:

realism (the attribute of accepting the facts of life and favoring practicality and literal truth)

realism (the state of being actual or real)

realistic (aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A painter who represents the world realistically and not in an idealized or romantic style

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

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

painter (an artist who paints)

Derivation:

realism (the attribute of accepting the facts of life and favoring practicality and literal truth)

realism (an artistic movement in 19th century France; artists and writers strove for detailed realistic and factual description)

realism (the state of being actual or real)

realistic (representing what is real; not abstract or ideal)

 Context examples 

I'm afraid I am a hopeless realist.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

This last argument, however, by no means commended itself to the pupil of Ockham, who plucked a great stick from the ground and signified his dissent by smiting the realist over the pate with it.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I know that I shall always be a realist.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)