realism
noun
re·al·ism
ˈrē-ə-ˌli-zəm
1
: concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary
2
a
: a doctrine that universals exist outside the mind
specifically
: the conception that an abstract term names an independent and unitary reality
b
: a theory that objects of sense perception or cognition exist independently of the mind compare nominalism
3
: the theory or practice of fidelity in art and literature to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization
Cite this Entry
“Realism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/realism. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.
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