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formalistically

 - 2 dictionary results

for⋅mal⋅ism

  [fawr-muh-liz-uhm]
Use formalistically in a Sentence
–noun
1. strict adherence to, or observance of, prescribed or traditional forms, as in music, poetry, and art.
2. Religion. strong attachment to external forms and observances.
3. Ethics. a doctrine that acts are in themselves right or wrong regardless of consequences.
4. Logic, Mathematics. a doctrine, which evolved from a proposal of David Hilbert, that mathematics, including the logic used in proofs, can be based on the formal manipulation of symbols without regard to their meaning.
Origin:
1830–40; formal 1 + -ism

Related forms:
for⋅mal⋅ist, noun, adjective
for⋅mal⋅is⋅tic, adjective
for⋅mal⋅is⋅ti⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To formalistically
for·mal·ism   (fôr'mə-lĭz'əm)   
n.  

  1. Rigorous or excessive adherence to recognized forms, as in religion or art.

  2. An instance of rigorous or excessive adherence to recognized forms.

  3. A method of aesthetic analysis that emphasizes structural elements and artistic techniques rather than content, especially in literary works.

for'mal·ist adj. & n., for'mal·is'tic adj., for'mal·is'ti·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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