Pragmatism
/ˈpræɡ.mə.tɪ.zəm/noun
A practical approach that judges ideas by their results and usefulness.
Did you know?Pragmatism comes from Greek pragma, meaning “deed” or “thing done,” the same root behind words like pragmatic and even surprising distant relatives like pyjama and program.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
pragma
“a deed, act, affair, or thing done”
Late Greek
Greek
pragmatikos
“fit for business, practical, concerned with affairs”
19th Century
English
pragmatic
“practical, dealing with facts and affairs rather than theory”
Late 19th Century
English
pragmatism
“a practical philosophy judging ideas by their effects and usefulness”
Modern English
English
pragmatism
“the doctrine or habit of emphasizing practical results over theory”