Pragmatist
/ˈpræɡ.mə.tɪst/noun
A person who deals with things sensibly and realistically, based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.
Did you know?Pragmatist ultimately comes from Greek *pragma*, meaning “deed” or “thing done,” the same root behind *pragmatic*—so the word is built around action, not ideas.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
GR
pragma
“a deed, act, or thing done”
Late Greek
GR
pragmatikos
“skilled in business, active, practical”
Latin
LA
pragmaticus
“skilled in business or affairs”
16th Century
English
pragmatique
“practical, especially in matters of state or law”
19th Century
English
pragmatist
“a person who favors practical approaches over theory”
Modern English
EN
pragmatist
“a person who acts according to practical considerations rather than abstract principles”