relativist
relativist Lexical Profile
relativist Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who believes that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute.
"As a moral relativist, he argued that ethical standards cannot be judged outside of their specific cultural framework."
A physicist who specializes in Einstein's theory of relativity.
"The conference brought together quantum theorists and numerical relativists to discuss the mechanics of black holes."
• adjective
Relating to, characterized by, or advocating philosophical, moral, or cultural relativism.
"The professor challenged the student's relativist perspective on universal human rights."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective, 'relativist' typically pertains to philosophical or cultural relativism, whereas 'relativistic' is used in physics to describe phenomena governed by Einstein's theory of relativity.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-19th century from the adjective 'relative' (ultimately from Late Latin 'relativus', meaning 'having reference or relation') combined with the agent suffix '-ist'.