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.

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):

  (file)

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.]
3. (political science, sociology) The principles or practice of absolute or arbitrary government; Synonym of despotism. [First attested in the early 19^th century.]

   Hyponyms: absolute monarchy, benevolent absolutism, enlightened absolutism, enlightened despotism

   • 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.

   • 2019, John Gascoigne, Science and the State, page 54:

     As absolutism became more consolidated in Europe, and particularly in France, such nonabsolutist states tended to define themselves in opposition to their absolutist rivals: hence, those features of their government which differed from absolutism tended to be given special prominence.

5. (philosophy) Belief in a metaphysical absolute; belief in Absolute. [First attested in the late 19^th century.]
6. Positiveness; the state of being absolute.

   Hyponym: Meiklejohnian absolutism

7. (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.

Derived terms

• antiabsolutism
• hyperabsolutism
• nonabsolutism

 

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)
• Hungarian: abszolutizmus (hu)
• Indonesian: absolutisme (id)
• Italian: assolutismo (it) m
• Mari:

  Eastern Mari: абсолютизм (absoĺutizm)

• 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

See also

• autocracy
• dictatorship
• strongman

 

Further reading

• “absolutism”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “absolutism”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French absolutisme. By surface analysis, absolut +‎ -ism.

Noun

absolutism n (uncountable)

1. absolutism

Declension

singular only	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	absolutism	absolutismul
genitive-dative	absolutism	absolutismului
vocative	absolutismule

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

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	absolutism	absolutisms
	definite	absolutismen	absolutismens
plural	indefinite	—	—
	definite	—	—

See also

• nykterhet
• nykterism
• absolutist

References

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