pluralism

Etymology

It is formed from English plural + -ism,^[2][3][4][5] after pluralist.^[2][4] In the philosophical sense it follows German Pluralismus, used in the late 18th century by Kant.^[2] The OED compares Medieval Latin pluralismus (“plurality of votes”), recorded in 1732 in a German source.^[2] Plural is from Old French plurel and Latin plūrālis (“of or belonging to more than one”), from plūs (“more”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The holding of two or more offices at the same time by one person, especially church benefices: 1772, in W. Pennington's Free Inquiry into pluralities.^[2][6] Etymonline and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate date the word to 1818,^[3][7] and Dictionary.com to 1810–20.^[5] Pluralist, for a holder of several offices, is older, from 1586 as an adjective and 1611 as a noun.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In philosophy the word named, from 1873 in the OED and 1882 in Etymonline, a theory that recognises more than one kind of ultimate reality, as opposed to monism and dualism.^[2][3][6] In politics it was used from 1917, by Harold Laski, for a theory of autonomy for groups and individuals instead of monolithic state power;^[2][3] Etymonline dates Laski's use to 1919.^[3] The sense of a society in which distinct ethnic, religious or cultural groups exist side by side, and of the tolerance of such diversity, is recorded from 1924, in H. Kallen,^[2] and the general sense of toleration of diversity in a society from 1933 in Etymonline.^[3] Collins also records a sense in industrial relations, a theory that the power of employers is balanced by that of trade unions.^[8]

Timeline

• 1772 – the holding of two or more offices, especially church benefices, by one person.^[2][6] Etymonline gives 1818.^[3]
• 1873 – in philosophy, a theory that recognises more than one ultimate principle.^[2]
• 1917 – in politics, a theory of devolved power opposed to monolithic state power.^[2][3]
• 1924 – the coexistence or tolerance of different ethnic and cultural groups in a society.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A state of society in which different ethnic, religious or cultural groups live side by side and keep their own traditions; also, the belief that such diversity is good: The city's pluralism shows in its many festivals.^[8][9][7][2]
2. A political theory in which power is shared, or contested, among many independent groups rather than held by the state alone.^[8][2]
3. (philosophy) A theory that reality is made up of more than one, or more than two, kinds of ultimate substance; compare monism and dualism.^[6][7][9][2]
4. The holding by one person of two or more offices at the same time, especially church benefices.^[8][6][9][2]
5. The quality or state of being plural.^[6][7][9]

Word family

• pluralist
• pluralistic
• pluralistically

Related words

• plural
• plurality
• plus

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
6. ^ a b c d e f Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
7. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
8. ^ a b c d Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
9. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin