antirationalist
|an-ti-ra-tion-al-ist|
/ˌæn.tiˈræʃ.ə.nɪst/
against rationalism
Etymology
'antirationalist' originates from Modern English, formed by the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') attached to 'rationalist' (from 'rational' + suffix '-ist'), where 'rational' derives from Latin 'ratio' meaning 'reason'.
'rationalist' developed from Latin 'ratio' > Medieval/Modern French 'rationnel'/'rationaliste' and entered English as 'rational' and 'rationalist'; the productive prefix 'anti-' (from Greek) was later combined in Modern English to form 'antirationalist'.
Initially the parts meant 'against' + 'one who advocates reason', and the compound's meaning has remained broadly 'one who opposes rationalism' though it is applied variably to philosophical, cultural, or rhetorical stances.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who opposes or rejects rationalism (the view that reason is the chief source of knowledge or action).
She was labeled an antirationalist for arguing that intuition and tradition should guide some decisions.
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Adjective 1
opposing or critical of rationalism or the application of pure reason as the primary means of understanding or deciding.
The philosopher wrote an antirationalist critique of purely deductive methods.
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Last updated: 2025/09/08 16:50