What does monist mean?
A monist is someone who accepts monism, the philosophical view that reality is ultimately unified and rests on one fundamental substance, principle, or kind of existence. Such a thinker does not necessarily claim that everything is identical; the central point is that apparent diversity can be explained through one underlying reality. The term is most common in philosophy, metaphysics, theology, and discussions of mind and matter. A monist might argue, for example, that physical and mental phenomena are aspects of a single reality, or that nature can be understood through one fundamental principle. The word is more frequently encountered in related forms such as monism and monistic than in everyday speech. It should not be confused with monotheist, which concerns belief in a single God, or monopolist, which concerns exclusive control of a market.
nounA monist is a philosopher who holds that reality consists of one fundamental substance or principle, rather than being composed of fundamentally distinct kinds of reality.
- An adherent or proponent of monism, especially in philosophy or metaphysics.
"The monist argued that mind and matter are different aspects of a single underlying reality."
"Each of the monists offered a different account of the single reality underlying the world."
"Her interpretation of the philosopher led her to identify him as a monist."
The plural is used when referring to more than one proponent of monism.
"The monists disagreed about the nature of the single reality underlying the universe."
A monist sees reality as having one foundation—even when that foundation takes radically different forms.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does monist come from?
Monist was formed in English from monism by adding the suffix -ist, meaning a person who advocates or holds a particular doctrine. Monism is derived from the combining form mono-, ultimately from Greek monos, meaning “single” or “alone,” together with the suffix -ism. The resulting noun follows the same pattern as words such as capitalist or idealist, in which the suffix identifies a person associated with a position or system.
Related word forms
How monist is actually used
This is a specialized philosophical term and is most often used in academic writing. In ordinary usage, monist is uncommon, while monism and monistic are more frequently encountered.
Easily confused with monist
A monist defends the philosophical view that reality has one fundamental substance or principle, whereas a monotheist believes that there is one God.
A monist is an advocate of philosophical monism, while a monopolist is a person or business with exclusive control of a market.