Occam's razor

proper noun

The principle of preferring the simplest of competing theories.

Similar
law of parsimonyprinciple of parsimonyOckham's Razor
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Meanings

proper noun

alternative Ockham's razor

  1. epistemologyThe principle of preferring the simplest of competing theories.

    Bugger, bugger, bugger dumb the last of academe / Occam's razor makes the cutting clean / Shaven like a banker, Lilac Vegeta

    2005, “Burning Beard”, performed by Clutch

    Synonyms: law of parsimony, principle of parsimony

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounThe principle of preferring the simplest of competing theories.

Similar
law of parsimonyprinciple of parsimony

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe principle that entities should not be multiplied needlessly; the simplest of two competing theories is to be preferred

Similar
Ockham's Razorprinciple of parsimonylaw of parsimony
Broader
principlerule
Also see
law of parsimonyprinciple of parsimony

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Named after the English Franciscan theologist William of Occam, an advocate of the law of parsimony, and the idea of a razor as a tool that trims or shaves.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian бръсна́ч на О́кам
  • бръсна́ч на О́кам (brăsnáč na Ókam)principle
Catalan navalla d'Occam
  • navalla d'Occamprinciple
Chinese Mandarin 奧卡姆剃刀 /奥卡姆剃刀
  • 奧卡姆剃刀 /奥卡姆剃刀 (Àokǎmǔ tìdāo)principle
Czech Occamova břitva
  • Occamova břitvaprinciple
Danish Ockhams ragekniv
  • Ockhams rageknivprinciple
Dutch Ockhams scheermes
  • Ockhams scheermesprinciple
Estonian Ockhami habemenuga
  • Ockhami habemenugaprinciple
Finnish Occamin partaveitsi
  • Occamin partaveitsiprinciple
French rasoir d’Occam
  • rasoir d’Occamprinciple
German Ockhams Rasiermesser
  • Ockhams Rasiermesserprinciple
Hebrew תערו של אוקאם
  • תערו של אוקאם (ta’aru shel Okkam)principle
Hungarian Occam borotvája
  • Occam borotvájaprinciple
Icelandic rakhnífur Ockhams
  • rakhnífur Ockhamsprinciple
Indonesian pisau Ockham
  • pisau Ockhamprinciple
Italian rasoio di Occam
  • rasoio di Occamprinciple
Japanese オッカムの剃刀
  • オッカムの剃刀 (Okkamu no kamisori)principle
Korean 오컴의 면도날
  • 오컴의 면도날 (okeom-ui myeondonal)principle
Latin novacula Guillelmi de Ockham
  • novacula Guillelmi de Ockhamprinciple
Lithuanian Okamo skustuvas
  • Okamo skustuvasprinciple
Norwegian Ockhams barberkniv
  • Ockhams barberknivprinciple
Persian تیغ اوکام
  • تیغ اوکام (tiġ okâm)principle
Polish brzytwa Ockhama
  • brzytwa Ockhamaprinciple
Portuguese navalha de Occam, navalha de Ockham
  • navalha de Occamprinciple
  • navalha de Ockhamprinciple
  • lâmina de Occamprinciple
  • lâmina de Ockhamprinciple
Romanian briciul lui Occam
  • briciul lui Occamprinciple
Russian бри́тва О́ккама
  • бри́тва О́ккама (brítva Ókkama)principle
Spanish navaja de Occam
  • navaja de Occamprinciple
Swedish Ockhams rakkniv
  • Ockhams rakknivprinciple
Thai หลักการของออคแคม
  • หลักการของออคแคม (làk gaan kŏng òkkaem)principle
Turkish Occam'ın usturası, Ockham'ın usturası
  • Occam'ın usturasıprinciple
  • Ockham'ın usturasıprinciple
Ukrainian принцип простоти, бри́тва О́ккама
  • принцип простоти (pryncyp prostoty)principle
  • бри́тва О́ккама (brýtva Ókkama)principle
Cite this entry
APA

Occam's razor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Occam's%20razor

MLA

“Occam's razor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Occam's%20razor. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Occam's razor,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Occam's%20razor.

Source: Occam's razor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.