Meanings
objectivism1
plural objectivisms
- countableuncountableThe state of being objective; objectivity.
- countableuncountableMoral objectivism.
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesAny of several doctrines that holds that all of reality is objective and exists outside of the mind.
Objectivism and subjectivism need each other to exist. Each defines itself in opposition to the other and sees the other as the enemy. Objectivism takes as its allies scientific truth, rationality, precision, fairness, and impartiality.
1980, George Lakoff, Mark Johnson, chapter 25, in Metaphors We Live By - capitalizedcountableoftenuncountableThe specific objectivist philosophy created by novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand, endorsing logical reasoning and self-interest.First known use late 1950s
But for some, objectivism stuck. Perhaps her most significant early follower was Alan Greenspan, later to serve as chairman of the US Federal Reserve for 19 years.
2017 April 10, Jonathan Freedland, “The new age of Ayn Rand: how she won over Trump and Silicon Valley”, in The Guardian3 more examples
First of all, I do not call it Randism; and I don’t like that name. I call it Objectivism, meaning a philosophy based on objective reality. Now let me explain it as briefly as I can.
1959 February 25, “Interview with Ayn Rand” (02:04 from the start), in The Mike Wallace Interview (16mm; television production), spoken by Ayn Rand, via NTA Film Network, HRC_WAL0141, archived from the original on 08 Oct 2019Ayn Rand, the guiding spirit of the philosophy of Objectivism and an advocate of “laissez faire capitalism,” endorsed Senator Goldwater as [“]the best of what is available.”
1964 November 5, Murray Seeger, quoting Ayn Rand, “Hope Still Found For Conservatism”, in The New York Times, →ISSNInto philosophy but not computer games? Then you probably missed Ayn Rand’s objectivism in BioShock (where the villain builds an undersea city out of the reach of government).
2008 September 15, Tom Kuntz, “Fantasy and Philosophy”, in New York Times
Objectivism2
- uncountableAlternative letter-case form of objectivism (“the philosophy based around Ayn Rand’s writings”).
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
objectivism · noun
From objectiv(e) + -ism. First attested in 1854.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan objectivisme
- objectivismedoctrine that holds that reality is objective
Chinese Mandarin 客觀主義 /客观主义
- 客觀主義 /客观主义 (kèguānzhǔyì)doctrine that holds that reality is objective
Czech objektivismus
- objektivismusdoctrine that holds that reality is objective
Finnish objektivismi
- objektivismidoctrine that holds that reality is objective
French objectivisme
- objectivismedoctrine that holds that reality is objective
German Objektivismus
- Objektivismusdoctrine that holds that reality is objective
Greek αντικειμενισμός
- αντικειμενισμός (antikeimenismós)doctrine that holds that reality is objective
Japanese オブジェクティビズム, 客観主義
- オブジェクティビズム (obujekutibizumu)doctrine that holds that reality is objective
- 客観主義 (kyakkanshugi)doctrine that holds that reality is objective
Latin obiectivismus
- obiectivismusdoctrine that holds that reality is objective
Persian عینیتگرایی
- عینیتگراییdoctrine that holds that reality is objective
Romanian obiectivism
- obiectivismdoctrine that holds that reality is objective
Spanish objetivismo
- objetivismodoctrine that holds that reality is objective
Cite this entry
objectivism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/objectivism
“objectivism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/objectivism. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “objectivism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/objectivism.
Source: objectivism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.