anti-rationalistic
|an-ti-ra-tion-al-is-tic|
/ˌæn.tiˌræʃəˈnɪstɪk/
against reason / opposing rationalism
Etymology
'anti-rationalistic' originates from the Greek prefix 'anti' meaning 'against' and from Latin-derived roots for 'rationalistic' (ultimately from Latin 'ratio' meaning 'reason') combined with the adjectival suffix '-istic' (via Greek/Latin '-istikos').
'anti-rationalistic' was formed in modern English by attaching the prefix 'anti-' to 'rationalistic.' 'Rationalistic' developed from Middle English/French forms of 'rational' (from Latin 'rationalis', from 'ratio'), and the productive English suffix '-istic' was later added to form adjectives.
Initially it meant 'against rationalism' (specifically the philosophical doctrine emphasizing reason), and over time the term retained that core sense while also broadening to describe cultural or attitudinal opposition to reason in general.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
opposed to rationalism as a philosophical doctrine or to reason as the primary source of knowledge; critical of or hostile toward rationalist principles.
The critic described the movement as anti-rationalistic, arguing that it rejected reason-based methods in favor of tradition.
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Adjective 2
characterized by a tendency to favor non-rational sources (such as faith, intuition, emotion, or tradition) over reason or logical analysis.
Some commentators warned that anti-rationalistic attitudes in public discourse could undermine evidence-based policy making.
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Last updated: 2025/11/18 10:53