NIHILISM


Meaning of NIHILISM in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈnī-(h)ə-ˌli-zəm, ˈnē- ]

noun

Etymology: German Nihilismus, from Latin nihil nothing — more at nil

Date: circa 1817

1.

a. : a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless

b. : a doctrine that denies any objective ground of truth and especially of moral truths

2.

a. : a doctrine or belief that conditions in the social organization are so bad as to make destruction desirable for its own sake independent of any constructive program or possibility

b. capitalized : the program of a 19th century Russian party advocating revolutionary reform and using terrorism and assassination

• ni·hil·ist -list noun or adjective

• ni·hil·is·tic ˌnī-(h)ə-ˈlis-tik, ˌnē- adjective

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.