English Lexicon

Materialism

/məˈtɪə.ri.əl.ɪ.zəm/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #1500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A theory that physical matter is the only or primary reality and that all phenomena can be explained in terms of material interactions.

    "In contemporary discussions, materialism often contrasts with idealism, which emphasizes the importance of ideas and consciousness."
  2. 2

    A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values.

    "The rise of consumer culture has led to a growing materialism in society, where wealth is often equated with success."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term 'materialism' originates from the Latin word 'materia', meaning 'matter', combined with the suffix '-ism', which denotes a doctrine or belief. It emerged in the 17th century during the rise of scientific inquiry, evolving to represent a philosophical stance that prioritizes material possessions and physical matter over spiritual or intellectual values.

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10 Global Lexicons: How "Materialism" is said worldwide

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🇫🇷French → English

Matérialisme

Transliteration: ma-teh-ree-al-izm

"Le matérialisme est souvent critiqué pour son impact sur les valeurs spirituelles."

🇩🇪German → English

Materialismus

Transliteration: ma-teh-ri-a-liz-mus

"Materialismus wird oft als ein Hindernis für spirituelles Wachstum angesehen."

🇮🇹Italian → English

Materialismo

Transliteration: ma-teh-ree-al-ismo

"Il materialismo può portare a una vita superficiale e priva di significato."

🇪🇸Spanish → English

Materialismo

Transliteration: ma-teh-ree-al-ismo

"El materialismo a menudo se critica por su enfoque en lo material en lugar de lo espiritual."

🇵🇹Portuguese → English

Materialismo

Transliteration: ma-teh-ree-al-ismo

"O materialismo é frequentemente associado ao consumismo excessivo."

🇮🇳Hindi → English

भौतिकवाद

Transliteration: Bhautikvaad

"भौतिकवाद को अक्सर आध्यात्मिक मूल्यों की अनदेखी करने के लिए आलोचना की जाती है।"

🇨🇳Chinese → English

唯物主义

Transliteration: wéiwù zhǔyì

"唯物主义常常被批评为忽视精神价值。"

🇰🇷Korean → English

유물론

Transliteration: yumullon

"유물론은 종종 영적 가치를 무시하는 것으로 비판받습니다."

🇯🇵Japanese → English

唯物論

Transliteration: いぶつろん (ibutsuron)

"唯物論はしばしば精神的価値を無視するものとして批判されます。"

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