Realism

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɹi.əlɪzəm/

Definitions

1. A style in art and literature that depicts subjects truthfully without idealization, showing ordinary life as it actually appears
2. A perspective in art and literature aiming to represent subjects accurately and truthfully, reflecting everyday experiences and practical realities
3. An approach in creative work focused on portraying life and objects as they genuinely exist without embellishment ; a view in philosophy asserting that reality exists independently of perception or beliefs

Etymology: Realism is a plain compound: "real" plus the suffix "-ism," which English uses to form nouns for doctrines, practices and movements. The base "real" came into English from Old French "reel," which descended from Late Latin "reālis," an adjective built on Latin "rēs," meaning "thing" or "matter." So the word's core idea is "pertaining to actual things," and that concrete sense sits underneath its later artistic meaning. The suffix does the work of turning a quality into a school of thought. Once "real" was joined to "-ism," the result named a commitment: to portray things as they actually are rather than as idealised or imagined. The term's artistic sense is what readers meet most often, referring to a movement in painting and fiction that favours ordinary people and everyday circumstances.

Synonyms: pragmatism, literalism, truthfulness

Antonyms: idealism, fantasy, romanticism