reductionistically
|re-duc-tion-is-tic-al-ly|
/rɪˌdʌkʃəˈnɪstɪkli/
(reductionistic)
explaining by simplifying to parts
Etymology
'reductionistically' originates from English, specifically the adjective 'reductionistic' plus the adverbial suffix '-ally' (from Latin/Old French adjectival/adverbial formation), where '-ally' meant 'in the manner of'.
'reductionistically' comes from 'reductionistic' (adjective) formed from 'reduction' + '-istic'; 'reduction' derives from Latin 'reductio' (from 'reducere'), where 're-' meant 'back/toward' and 'ducere' meant 'to lead'. The suffix '-istic' (from Greek/French/Latin formation patterns) formed the adjective, and English later added '-ally' to make the adverb.
Initially related to the Latin sense of 'leading back' or 'a bringing back' (process of reduction), it evolved in modern usage to denote the philosophical or methodological stance of explaining complex phenomena by simpler parts; as an adverb it now means 'in a reductionistic manner'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a reductionistic manner; by explaining, interpreting, or analyzing something by reducing it to its constituent parts or simpler principles (often implying oversimplification).
The critic argued that the historian was reasoning reductionistically, ignoring broader social and cultural contexts.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/04 15:03