Where does “instrumentalism” come from?
Instrumentalism comes from English instrumental plus the suffix -ism, from Ancient Greek -ισμός and -μός, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ne through Latin in, -alis, and -mentum, with the root sense of a tool or means for accomplishing an end.
instrumentalism (English): In the philosophy of science, the view that...
Definitions
- In the philosophy of science, the view that...
Ancestry of “instrumentalism”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | instrumental | essential or central; of great importance or... |
| 2 | Middle English | instrumental | Resembling an instrument in role; instrumental;... |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | instrumentalis | instrumental |
| 4 | Latin | īnstrūmentum | — |
| 5 | Latin | -mentum | instrument, medium, or result of; e.g.... |
| 6 | Latin | -menta | nominative plural of -mentum; accusative plural... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -mn̥ | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs |