See possibilism in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"derived": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "possibilist"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "possibilistic"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "fr",
"3": "possibilisme"
},
"expansion": "Borrowed from French possibilisme",
"name": "bor+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "la:possibilis<alt:possibil|is, ~e><t:that can be done>",
"3": "-ism"
},
"expansion": "By surface analysis, Latin possibil|is, ~e (“that can be done”) + -ism",
"name": "surf"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "la",
"2": "-"
},
"expansion": "Latin",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "1883"
},
"expansion": "First attested in 1883",
"name": "etydate"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Borrowed from French possibilisme. By surface analysis, Latin possibil|is, ~e (“that can be done”) + -ism, from Latin po|ssum, ~(te)sse, ~tuī (“be able”) + -ibil|is, ~e (“-able”). First attested in 1883.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "possibilisms",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "~"
},
"expansion": "possibilism (countable and uncountable, plural possibilisms)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"hyphenations": [
{
"parts": [
"pos",
"si",
"bi",
"lism"
]
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"antonyms": [
{
"word": "actualism"
}
],
"attestations": [
{
"date": "from 1880s",
"references": []
}
],
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Philosophy",
"orig": "en:Philosophy",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Politics",
"orig": "en:Politics",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "11 29 32 29",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "13 29 31 28",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Italian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "11 29 31 29",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Polish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"The belief that possible things exist, as well as actual things."
],
"id": "en-possibilism-en-noun-vhCJrFdI",
"links": [
[
"philosophy",
"philosophy"
],
[
"politics",
"politics"
],
[
"possible",
"possible"
],
[
"actual",
"actual"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(philosophy, politics) The belief that possible things exist, as well as actual things."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"uncountable"
],
"topics": [
"government",
"human-sciences",
"philosophy",
"politics",
"sciences"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "93 1 4 1",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"lang_code": "fr",
"sense": "the belief that possible things exist",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "possibilisme"
},
{
"_dis1": "93 1 4 1",
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"lang_code": "el",
"roman": "pithanismós",
"sense": "the belief that possible things exist",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "πιθανισμός"
},
{
"_dis1": "93 1 4 1",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"lang_code": "it",
"sense": "the belief that possible things exist",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "possibilismo"
},
{
"_dis1": "93 1 4 1",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "the belief that possible things exist",
"tags": [
"inanimate",
"masculine"
],
"word": "posybilizm"
}
]
},
{
"attestations": [
{
"date": "from 1920s",
"references": []
}
],
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Geography",
"orig": "en:Geography",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "10 37 23 31",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "10 33 27 30",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "7 49 21 23",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "4 38 26 32",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "11 29 32 29",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "12 38 27 23",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Greek translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "13 29 31 28",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Italian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "11 29 31 29",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Polish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"The theory that the geographical environment sets certain constraints, but culture is otherwise determined by social conditions."
],
"id": "en-possibilism-en-noun-en:Q2755315",
"links": [
[
"geography",
"geography"
],
[
"geographical",
"geographical"
],
[
"environment",
"environment"
],
[
"constraint",
"constraint"
],
[
"culture",
"culture"
],
[
"social",
"social"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(geography) The theory that the geographical environment sets certain constraints, but culture is otherwise determined by social conditions."
],
"senseid": [
"en:Q2755315"
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"uncountable"
],
"topics": [
"geography",
"natural-sciences"
],
"wikidata": [
"Q2755315"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "10 37 23 31",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "10 33 27 30",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "4 38 26 32",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "11 29 32 29",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "13 29 31 28",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Italian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "11 29 31 29",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Polish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
31,
42
]
],
"ref": "1970, The Journal of the College & University Personnel Association:",
"text": "Aim at a standard of adequacy (possibilism) rather than at a standard of perfection (utopianism).",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"An approach that pragmatically focuses on achievable goals rather than impossible ideals."
],
"id": "en-possibilism-en-noun-wOzXIm-l",
"tags": [
"countable",
"uncountable"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "10 37 23 31",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "23 23 21 33",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms suffixed with -ism",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "10 33 27 30",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "4 38 26 32",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "11 29 32 29",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "13 29 31 28",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Italian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "11 29 31 29",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Polish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Any of various socialist reform movements."
],
"id": "en-possibilism-en-noun-SaU7OYLc",
"links": [
[
"derogatory",
"derogatory"
],
[
"socialist",
"socialist"
],
[
"reform",
"reform"
],
[
"movement",
"movement"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(sometimes derogatory) Any of various socialist reform movements."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"derogatory",
"sometimes",
"uncountable"
]
}
],
"word": "possibilism"
}
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English terms borrowed from French",
"English terms derived from French",
"English terms derived from Latin",
"English terms suffixed with -ism",
"English uncountable nouns",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with Greek translations",
"Terms with Italian translations",
"Terms with Polish translations"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "possibilist"
},
{
"word": "possibilistic"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "fr",
"3": "possibilisme"
},
"expansion": "Borrowed from French possibilisme",
"name": "bor+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "la:possibilis<alt:possibil|is, ~e><t:that can be done>",
"3": "-ism"
},
"expansion": "By surface analysis, Latin possibil|is, ~e (“that can be done”) + -ism",
"name": "surf"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "la",
"2": "-"
},
"expansion": "Latin",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "1883"
},
"expansion": "First attested in 1883",
"name": "etydate"
}
],
"etymology_text": "Borrowed from French possibilisme. By surface analysis, Latin possibil|is, ~e (“that can be done”) + -ism, from Latin po|ssum, ~(te)sse, ~tuī (“be able”) + -ibil|is, ~e (“-able”). First attested in 1883.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "possibilisms",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "~"
},
"expansion": "possibilism (countable and uncountable, plural possibilisms)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"hyphenations": [
{
"parts": [
"pos",
"si",
"bi",
"lism"
]
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"antonyms": [
{
"word": "actualism"
}
],
"attestations": [
{
"date": "from 1880s",
"references": []
}
],
"categories": [
"en:Philosophy",
"en:Politics"
],
"glosses": [
"The belief that possible things exist, as well as actual things."
],
"links": [
[
"philosophy",
"philosophy"
],
[
"politics",
"politics"
],
[
"possible",
"possible"
],
[
"actual",
"actual"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(philosophy, politics) The belief that possible things exist, as well as actual things."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"uncountable"
],
"topics": [
"government",
"human-sciences",
"philosophy",
"politics",
"sciences"
]
},
{
"attestations": [
{
"date": "from 1920s",
"references": []
}
],
"categories": [
"en:Geography"
],
"glosses": [
"The theory that the geographical environment sets certain constraints, but culture is otherwise determined by social conditions."
],
"links": [
[
"geography",
"geography"
],
[
"geographical",
"geographical"
],
[
"environment",
"environment"
],
[
"constraint",
"constraint"
],
[
"culture",
"culture"
],
[
"social",
"social"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(geography) The theory that the geographical environment sets certain constraints, but culture is otherwise determined by social conditions."
],
"senseid": [
"en:Q2755315"
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"uncountable"
],
"topics": [
"geography",
"natural-sciences"
],
"wikidata": [
"Q2755315"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
31,
42
]
],
"ref": "1970, The Journal of the College & University Personnel Association:",
"text": "Aim at a standard of adequacy (possibilism) rather than at a standard of perfection (utopianism).",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"An approach that pragmatically focuses on achievable goals rather than impossible ideals."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"uncountable"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English derogatory terms"
],
"glosses": [
"Any of various socialist reform movements."
],
"links": [
[
"derogatory",
"derogatory"
],
[
"socialist",
"socialist"
],
[
"reform",
"reform"
],
[
"movement",
"movement"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(sometimes derogatory) Any of various socialist reform movements."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"derogatory",
"sometimes",
"uncountable"
]
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"lang_code": "fr",
"sense": "the belief that possible things exist",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "possibilisme"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"lang_code": "el",
"roman": "pithanismós",
"sense": "the belief that possible things exist",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "πιθανισμός"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"lang_code": "it",
"sense": "the belief that possible things exist",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "possibilismo"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "the belief that possible things exist",
"tags": [
"inanimate",
"masculine"
],
"word": "posybilizm"
}
],
"word": "possibilism"
}
Download raw JSONL data for possibilism meaning in English (4.3kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-12-23 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-12-02 using wiktextract (6fdc867 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.