materialism
materialism Lexical Profile
materialism Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.
"Critics often argue that modern holiday traditions have been overshadowed by rampant materialism."
The philosophical doctrine that nothing exists except matter and its movements and modifications, and that consciousness and will are wholly due to material agency.
"In philosophy class, we contrasted the strict materialism of ancient atomists with the idealism of Plato."
Word Nuance & Usage
In everyday usage, "materialism" refers negatively to an obsession with consumer wealth and possessions, whereas in academic philosophy, it is a neutral metaphysical term meaning that all reality—including consciousness—consists solely of physical matter.
• Rhymes for materialism
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-18th century (originally in philosophical contexts by Robert Boyle and later popularized via French matérialisme), from "material" (from Latin materia, meaning "matter" or "timber") plus the suffix "-ism".