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positivism

/ˈpɒzɪtɪvˌɪzm/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about positivism at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. The form of empiricism that bases all knowledge on perceptual experience (not on intuition or revelation).
  2. A quality or state characterized by certainty or acceptance or affirmation and dogmatic assertiveness.

Origin

Borrowed from French positivisme, from positif (“positive”). By surface analysis, positiv(e) + -ism.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)