fatalism

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈfeɪtəlˌɪzəm/ UK /ˈfeɪtəlɪzəm/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the belief that all events are predetermined and inevitable

A weary fatalism colored his view of the future.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the belief that all events... determinism resignation predestination stoicism passivity

Opposites

free willoptimism agency

Word family

Forms fatalistfatalisticfatalistically

Related forms fatalistfatalisticfate fatal

Etymology

From 'fatal' + the noun-forming suffix '-ism'. 'Fatal' is from Latin 'fātālis' ('ordained by fate, deadly'), from 'fātum' ('that which is spoken, destiny'), from 'fārī' ('to speak').

fātum Latin fārī Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# fatalism

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈfeɪtəlˌɪzəm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfeɪtəlɪzəm/

## Meanings
1. the belief that all events are predetermined and inevitable

## Examples
- A weary fatalism colored his view of the future.

## Synonyms
- determinism
- resignation
- predestination
- stoicism
- passivity

## Antonyms
- free will
- optimism
- agency

## Related Forms
- fatalist
- fatalistic
- fate
- fatal

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: fātum
- Root: fārī

## Etymology
From 'fatal' + the noun-forming suffix '-ism'. 'Fatal' is from Latin 'fātālis' ('ordained by fate, deadly'), from 'fātum' ('that which is spoken, destiny'), from 'fārī' ('to speak').

## AI Etymology
Fatalism comes from 'fatal' + the noun-forming suffix '-ism'. 'Fatal' is from Latin 'fātālis' ('ordained by fate, deadly'), from 'fātum' ('that which is spoken, destiny'), from 'fārī' ('to speak'). Morphologically, the form is compositional, with the named elements combining to produce the modern spelling and sense. In present use, it is used as a noun meaning "the belief that all events are predetermined and inevitable", so the historical material remains connected with the current sense rather than standing as bare ancestry. The wider English family includes related forms such as fatalist, fatalistic, fate, and fatal, showing how the same historical material continues to organize neighboring vocabulary. The named historical forms include Latin fātum and Latin fārī, keeping the history tied to concrete forms rather than a loose resemblance. Its semantic neighborhood is marked by determinism, resignation, predestination, and stoicism on one side and contrasts such as free will, optimism, and agency on the other, locating the modern specialization without adding a new origin story.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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