realism
realism Lexical Profile
realism Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it sensibly and practically.
"A healthy dose of realism is needed when planning the budget for the community renovation project."
The quality or artistic style of representing a person, thing, or situation accurately and in a way that is true to life, or the 19th-century movement in art and literature dedicated to depicting everyday life without idealization.
"The novel was praised for the gritty realism of its dialogue and its honest portrayal of working-class life."
The philosophical doctrine that universals or abstract concepts have an objective existence, or that physical objects exist independently of human perception.
"In the seminar on metaphysics, students debated the classic conflict between philosophical realism and nominalism."
• Rhymes for realism
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 18th century via German Realismus and French réalisme, ultimately from Late Latin realis ('actual, belonging to the thing itself'), from Latin res ('thing, matter'). It originally entered English as a philosophical term before being adopted in the mid-19th century to describe art and literature that rejected romantic idealization.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.