nihilism

== English == === Etymology === Probably borrowed from French nihilisme, German Nihilismus, or Late Latin nihilismus; the French, German, and Latin words are derived from Latin nihil (“indefinite nothing”), from nihilum (“nothing”), from ne- (prefix negating the principal meaning) + hīlum (“a trifle; not in the least”). The English word is cognate with Italian nichilismo, Spanish nihilismo, Russian нигили́зм (nigilízm), philosophical doctrine grounded on negation of one or more meaningful aspects of life; emptiness; lack of education and cultural refinement. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪz.m̩/, /ˈnɪ-/, /ˈniː-/, [-(h)ɨ̞-] (General American) IPA(key): /ˈnaɪ.əˌlɪz.m̩/, /ˈniː-/ Hyphenation: ni‧hil‧i‧sm === Noun === nihilism (countable and uncountable, plural nihilisms) (usually uncountable) The view that all endeavours are devoid of objective meaning. Synonym: existential nihilism (usually uncountable) The rejection of, or opposition to, religious beliefs, (inherent or objective) moral principles, legal rules, etc., often due to the view that life is meaningless (sense 1). Synonym: moral nihilism (usually uncountable, politics) The rejection of non-proven or non-rationalized assertions in the social and political spheres of society. (uncountable, psychiatry) A delusion that oneself or the world, or parts thereof, have ceased to exist. (uncountable, Russia, politics, historical) Alternative letter-case form of Nihilism (“a Russian movement of the 1860s that rejected all authority and promoted the use of violence for political change”). (countable, uncountable, philosophy) A doctrine grounded on the negation of one or more meaningful aspects of life; in particular, the view that nothing in the world actually exists. Antonym: antinihilism (countable) Something that is regarded as meaningless. ==== Derived terms ==== antinihilism existential nihilism moral nihilism ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === nihilism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “nihilism”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “nihilism”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French nihilisme. === Noun === nihilism n (uncountable) nihilism ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “nihilism”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2026 == Swedish == === Etymology === Latin nihil +‎ -ism. Cognate of German Nihilismus, French nihilisme. === Noun === nihilism c nihilism ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== nihilist nihilistisk === References === nihilism in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL) nihilism in Svensk ordbok (SO) nihilism in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)