antirational
|an-ti-ra-tion-al|
/ˌæn.tiˈræʃ.ənəl/
against reason
Etymology
'antirational' originates from the Greek prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' ἀντί), meaning 'against', combined with 'rational' from Latin 'rationalis' (from 'ratio'), where 'ratio' meant 'reason'.
'rational' derives from Latin 'rationalis' (from 'ratio'), passed into Old French as 'rationel'/'rationnel' and into Middle English as 'rational'; the English formation 'antirational' is a modern coinage formed by prefixing 'anti-' to 'rational' to express opposition to reason.
Initially the components conveyed the literal idea 'against reason'; over time the compound has been used in specialized contexts to denote a stance, doctrine, or aesthetic that rejects or downplays rationality in favor of other modes (emotion, faith, intuition).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
opposed to or rejecting reason or rationality as the primary basis for belief, action, or judgment.
The movement promoted an antirational critique of modern institutions, privileging myth and intuition over empirical evidence.
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Adjective 2
deliberately irrational as an aesthetic, philosophical, or rhetorical stance—valuing emotion, faith, or instinct instead of reason.
Some avant-garde writers adopted an antirational approach to provoke readers and destabilize conventional narratives.
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Last updated: 2025/09/08 16:23