Raisonners

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals who engage in reasoning processes or analytical thinking in discussions and debates
2. Individuals collectively involved in the exploration and deliberation of logical ideas or propositions
3. People who participate in reason-based discourse to arrive at conclusions or understand complex concepts

Etymology: The root is the French verb "raisonner", to reason or argue, which comes from the noun "raison", reason. That noun descends from Latin "ratio", a word for calculation or account, so the idea of working things out lies at the core of the family. The English form is a loan from French, and it carries a specialised sense from French drama. Denis Diderot used "raisonneur" for a character who mainly voices arguments and reflections, speaking for the author rather than driving the plot. The noun still means simply a person who reasons, and that broader sense is the one that matters here.

Synonyms: reasoners, thinkers, logicians

Antonyms: irrationalists, nonthinkers