absolutism

absolutism

English

Etymology

First attested in 1753 (in the theological sense); attested in 1830 in the political sense. From absolute +‎ -ism, based after French absolutisme.[1]

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈæb.sə.luː.tɪz.m̩/, /ˈæb.sə.ljuː.tɪz.m̩/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈæb.səˌluˌtɪz.m̩/, /ˈæb.səˌljuˌtɪz.m̩/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

absolutism (countable and uncountable, plural absolutisms)

1. (theology) Doctrine of preordination; doctrine of absolute decrees; doctrine that God acts in an absolute manner. [First attested in the mid 18^th century.][1]
2. (political science, sociology) The principles or practice of absolute or arbitrary government; despotism. [First attested in the early 19^th century.][1]
   • 1859, John Gorham Palfrey, chapter IV, in History of New England, volume I, page 217:

     The element of absolutism and prelacy was more controlling in the counsels of the rival corporation.

3. (philosophy) Belief in a metaphysical absolute; belief in Absolute. [First attested in the late 19^th century.][1]
4. Positiveness; the state of being absolute.
5. (rare) The characteristic of being absolute in nature or scope; absoluteness.
   • 2003, Ruth R. Wisse, The Modern Jewish Canon: A Journey Through Language, →ISBN:

     It was the absolutism of his ambition to be a perfect writer (and perhaps also the perfect son) that imperiled him.

Hyponyms

• Meiklejohnian absolutism
• enlightened absolutism
• moral absolutism

Translations

theology: doctrine of preordination; doctrine of absolute decrees

Dutch: predestinatieleer m

political science: absolute or arbitrary government; despotism

Armenian: աբսոլյուտիզմ (hy) (absolyutizm) Bulgarian: абсолюти́зъм (bg) m (absoljutízǎm) Catalan: absolutisme m Czech: absolutismus (cs) m Danish: enevælde c (Danish history ca. 1660-1849), absolutisme c Dutch: absolutisme (nl) n, alleenheerschappij (nl) f Esperanto: absolutismo (eo) Finnish: absolutismi (fi) French: absolutisme (fr) German: Absolutismus (de) m Greek: απολυταρχία (el) f (apolytarchía) Italian: assolutismo (it) m Norwegian: Bokmål: absolutisme (no) m, enevelde (no) n Nynorsk: absolutisme m Polish: absolutyzm (pl) m inan Portuguese: absolutismo (pt) m Romanian: absolutism (ro) n Russian: абсолюти́зм (ru) m (absoljutízm) Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: апсолутизам m Roman: apsolutizam (sh) m Spanish: absolutismo (es) m Swedish: absolutism (sv) c, envälde (sv) n, despotism (sv) c

belief in a metaphysical absolute

Dutch: absolutisme (nl) f Finnish: absolutismi (fi) Greek: απολυτοκρατία (apolytokratía) Norwegian: Bokmål: absolutisme (no) m Polish: absolutyzm (pl) m

the state of being absolute; the system or doctrine of the absolute or unconditional

Greek: απολυτότητα (el) f (apolytótita), απόλυτο (el) n (apólyto) Norwegian: Bokmål: please add this translation if you can

positiveness

Norwegian: Bokmål: please add this translation if you can

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Irish: (please verify) absalóideachas m

References

1. Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief; William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “absolutism”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 9.

Further reading

• absolutism at OneLook Dictionary Search
• absolutism in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

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Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French absolutisme.

Noun

absolutism n (uncountable)

1. absolutism

Declension

declension of absolutism (singular only)

	singular
n gender	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) absolutism	absolutismul
genitive/dative	(unui) absolutism	absolutismului
vocative	absolutismule

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Swedish

Etymology

absolut +‎ -ism

Noun

absolutism c (uncountable)

1. absolute monarchy (as a form of government), dictatorship
2. the principle of abstaining from alcohol

Declension

Declension of absolutism
	Uncountable
	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	absolutism	absolutismen	—	—
Genitive	absolutisms	absolutismens	—	—

See also

• nykterhet
• nykterism
• absolutist

References

• absolutism in Svenska Akademiens ordlista över svenska språket (8th ed., 1923)