Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “realism” come from?

Realism comes from English real, from Ancient Greek -ισμός, from Latin regalis meaning "of a king," derived from Latin rex through the suffix -alis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- meaning "to rule."

realism (English): A concern for fact or reality and rejection of...

Definitions

  1. A concern for fact or reality and rejection of...

Ancestry of “realism”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrealTrue, genuine, not merely nominal or apparent;...
2Middle Englishrealreal, true, factual; concerning possessions;...
3Old Frenchreel—
4Latinreālis—
5Latinrēs—
6Latinvindicatiocivil lawsuit; protection, defence; vindication;...
7Latinvindicō—
8Latinvindexclaimant, vindicator
9Latindīcō—
10Latin-tiō—
11Latindissertātiō—
12Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
13Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
14Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
15Latincalceusshoe
16Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
17Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “realism”

  • neorealism
  • antirealism
  • photorealism
  • unrealism
  • nonrealism
  • superrealism
  • superrealist
  • metarealism
  • macrorealism
  • pseudorealism
  • technorealism
  • correalism
  • Islamorealism
  • infrarealism
  • photo-realism
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →