absolutism
UK /ˈæb.sə.luː.tɪz.m̩/ · US /ˈæb.səˌluˌtɪz.m̩/ noun
Forms absolutisms
- noun (theology) Doctrine of preordination; doctrine of absolute decrees; doctrine that God acts in an absolute manner.
- noun (political science, sociology) The principles or practice of absolute or arbitrary government; Synonym of despotism.
- noun (philosophy) Belief in a metaphysical absolute; belief in Absolute.
- noun Positiveness; the state of being absolute.
- noun (rare) The characteristic of being absolute in nature or scope; absoluteness.
Synonyms
tyranny despotism dictatorship authoritarianism Caesarism monocracy one-man rule shogunate Stalinism totalitarianism totalism
Etymology
First attested in 1753 (in the theological sense); attested in 1830 in the political sense. From absolute + -ism, based after French absolutisme.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “absolutism”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details