n.
Pronunciation: ' na-ch ə -r ə - ˌ li-z ə m, ' nach-r ə -
Function: noun
Date: circa 1641
1 : action, inclination, or thought based only on natural desires and instincts
2 : a theory denying that an event or object has a supernatural significance specifically : the doctrine that scientific laws are adequate to account for all phenomena
3 : realism in art or literature specifically : a theory or practice in literature emphasizing scientific observation of life without idealization and often including elements of determinism