n.
Pronunciation: ' rash-n ə - ˌ li-z ə m, ' ra-sh ə -n ə - ˌ li-
Function: noun
Date: 1827
1 : reliance on reason as the basis for establishment of religious truth
2 a : a theory that reason is in itself a source of knowledge superior to and independent of sense perceptions b : a view that reason and experience rather than the nonrational are the fundamental criteria in the solution of problems
3 : FUNCTIONALISM 2
– ra · tio · nal · ist \ -n ə -list \ noun
– rationalist or ra · tio · nal · is · tic \ ˌ rash-n ə - ' lis-tik, ˌ ra-sh ə -n ə - ' lis- \ adjective
– ra · tio · nal · is · ti · cal · ly \ -ti-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb