THE WORDCRAFT DEFINITION DICTIONARY
materialism
noun
An emphasis on possessions and physical comfort; in philosophy, the view that reality is fundamentally material.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
A USEFUL DISTINCTION
Usage note
The source uses the focus-on-possessions sense. Philosophical materialism is a distinct meaning and does not by itself describe greed.
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Examples in context
The novel criticizes materialism through characters who judge every friendship by income and status.
The story criticizes materialism through a character who values the ownership of impressive objects and physical comforts above the relationships formed at the gatherings.
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This entry is part of the vocabulary collection supplied by GlobalRPh. Definitions are concise study meanings. Examples combine original teaching sentences with selected passages adapted from the supplied study notes; their source is labeled beside each example. A word may have additional specialized or historical senses.
Adapted from supplied vocabulary notes. Example written for WordCraft.
Source study sections: 13.
The source uses the focus-on-possessions sense. Philosophical materialism is a distinct meaning and does not by itself describe greed.
Dictionary scope and sources