nihilism
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nihilism¹
- /ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪz.m̩/ UK
- /ˈnɪ-/ UK
- /ˈniː-/ UK
- [-(h)ɨ̞-] UK
- /ˈnaɪ.əˌlɪz.m̩/ US
- /ˈniː-/ US
Where it comes from
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.
noun nihilisms
-
The view that all endeavours are devoid of objective meaning.
This classification should have led to the discovery and study of remedies which act specifically upon the various textures and tissues of the body, such as the cellular, serous, mucous, parenchymatous, fibrous, gelatinous, &c., but it did not, except in the most imperfect manner—so imperfect, in fa
Similar: existential nihilism
-
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).
[T]he dire portent of Nihilism, which some persons regard as little more than an extreme protest against absolutism in Government, [...] is an execrable conspiracy against all religion and morality.
Similar: moral nihilism
- The rejection of non-proven or non-rationalized assertions in the social and political spheres of society. As with the original American historicists, they accept only historical references and deny all extrahistorical references, including those implicit in idealism and positivism. [...] They deny both authoritarian and subjectivistic nihilisms, and they affirm the responsibility of the subject.
- A delusion that oneself or the world, or parts thereof, have ceased to exist. Individuals with schizophrenia often cycle between nihilistic and solipsistic moods—when in the grip of nihilism they appear to have lost experiential contact with their very existence, [...]
- 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”). The Government took up the word, and used nihilism to stigmatize all revolutionary, and ultra democratic and socialistic tendencies; and we have seen it play its part in the recent investigations into the attempted assassination of the Emperor.
-
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.
This great metaphysician [John Locke] considered, our ideas were derived from sensation and reflection; and preserved the distinction between these two sources of knowledge with great care; but by a perversion of his theory, his followers reduced them to sensation alone;—which by a necessary gradati
Opposite: antinihilism
- Something that is regarded as meaningless. This mock reasoning proves that those deliberately making use of it are, during the process, insane; inasmuch as they are attempting to reason by means of suppositions, by means of nihilisms, negative quantities.
Nihilism²
- /ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪ.z(ə)m/ UK
- /ˈnɪ-/ UK
- /ˈniː-/ UK
- [-(h)ɨ̞-] UK
- /ˈnaɪ.əˌlɪ.z(ə)m/ US
- /ˈni.ə-/ US
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Russian нигили́зм (nigilízm).
proper noun nihilism
- A movement of the 1860s that rejected all authority and promoted the use of violence for political change. The Government took up the word, and used nihilism to stigmatize all revolutionary, and ultra democratic and socialistic tendencies; and we have seen it play its part in the recent investigations into the attempted assassination of the Emperor.
Translations
Every language
noun view that all endeavours are devoid of objective meaning
| हिन्दी | शून्यवाद śūnyavād, नकारवाद nakārvād, नाशवाद nāśvād, नास्तिवाद nāstivād |
|---|---|
| العربية | عَدَمِيَّة ʕadamiyya |
noun rejection of, or opposition to, religious beliefs, moral principles, legal rules, etc.
| Español | nihilismo |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | ニヒリズム nihirizumu, 虚無主義 kyomu shugi |
| 中文 | 虛無主義 /虚无主义 xūwúzhǔyì |
| Português | niilismo |
| Français | nihilisme |
| Deutsch | Nihilismus |
| Italiano | nichilismo |
| Ελληνικά | μηδενισμός midenismós |
| Русский | нигили́зм nigilízm |
| العربية | عَدَمِيَّة ʕadamiyya |
noun doctrine grounded on the negation of one or more meaningful aspects of life
| Español | nihilismo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 허무주의 heomujuui |
| 日本語 | ニヒリズム nihirizumu, 虚無主義 kyomushugi |
| 中文 | 虛無主義 /虚无主义 xūwúzhǔyì |
| हिन्दी | नाइलीज़्म nāilīzma, निषेधवाद niṣedhvād, विनाशवाद vināśvād |
| Português | niilismo |
| Français | nihilisme |
| Deutsch | Nihilismus |
| Italiano | nichilismo, nullismo |
| Ελληνικά | μηδενισμός midenismós |
| Română | nihilism |
| Русский | нигили́зм nigilízm |
| Tiếng Việt | chủ nghĩa hư vô, tư tưởng đoạn diệt |
| العربية | عَدَمِيَّة ʕadamiyya |
| עברית | ניהיליזם nihilizem, אַפְסָנוּת afesanut |
Talk about this word "nihilism." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/nihilism. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. nihilism. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/nihilism "nihilism." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/nihilism.Cite this
@misc{nihilism_2026,
title = {nihilism},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/nihilism},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
