nomothetic

N1O1M3O1T1H4E1T1I1C3
/ˌnɒməˈθɛtɪk/

adjective

Relating to the underlying laws of a subject.

Opposite
idiographic
OriginAncient Greek νομοθετικός (nomothetikós) ← Proto-Indo-European *dʰédʰeh₁ti ← Proto-Hellenic *némō →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

adjectivenomothetic (not comparable)

alternative nomothetical

  1. not comparableRelating to the underlying laws of a subject.
    1 more example

    A focus on averaged risk effects, estimated across people, may occlude idiographic within-person processes which could aid in the precise detection of individual-level correlates of suicide. The present study focuses on new statistical models applied to intensive longitudinal data to quantify heterogeneity in within-person processes. Nomothetic approaches, such as multi-level models, are the most conventional method for identifying group-level suicide risk factors. These methods assume that effects apply equally across all individuals.

    2024 June 5, Kevin S. Kuehn, Marilyn L. Piccirillo, Adam M. Kuczynski, Kevin M. King, Colin A. Depp, Katherine T. Foster, “Person-specific dynamics between negative emotions and suicidal thoughts”, in Comprehensive Psychiatry, volume 133, →DOI

    Antonyms: idiographic

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveRelating to the underlying laws of a subject.

Opposite
idiographic

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiverelating to or involving the search for abstract universal principles

Opposite
idiographic

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*nem-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*németi
  3. Proto-Hellenic*némō
  4. Ancient Greekνέμω (némō)
  5. Ancient Greekνόμος (nómos)
  6. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*dʰédʰeh₁ti
  8. Ancient Greekτίθημι (títhēmi)
  9. Ancient Greekνομοθέτης (nomothétēs)
  10. Ancient Greekνομοθετικός (nomothetikós)
  11. Englishnomothetic

Borrowed from Ancient Greek νομοθετικός (nomothetikós).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish nomoteettinen
  • nomoteettinenTranslations
German nomothetisch
  • nomothetischTranslations
Indonesian nomotetik, nomotetis
  • nomotetikTranslations
  • nomotetisTranslations
Russian номотети́ческий
  • номотети́ческий (nomotetíčeskij)Translations
Spanish nomotético
  • nomotéticoTranslations

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

monothetic
Cite this entry
APA

nomothetic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nomothetic

MLA

“nomothetic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nomothetic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nomothetic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nomothetic.

Source: nomothetic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.