absolutism

Noun

absolutism (countable and uncountable, plural absolutisms)

1. Doctrine of preordination; doctrine of absolute decrees; doctrine that God acts in an absolute manner.
2. The principles or practice of absolute or arbitrary government; Synonym of despotism.
   • The element of absolutism and prelacy was more controlling in the counsels of the rival corporation.1859, John Gorham Palfrey, chapter IV, in History of New England, volume I, page 217
   • As absolutism became more consolidated in Europe, and particularly in France, such nonabsolutist states tended to define themselves in opposition to their absolutist rivals: hence, those features of their government which differed from absolutism tended to be given special prominence.2019, John Gascoigne, Science and the State, page 54
3. Belief in a metaphysical absolute; belief in Absolute.
4. Positiveness; the state of being absolute.
5. (rare) The characteristic of being absolute in nature or scope; absoluteness.
   • It was the absolutism of his ambition to be a perfect writer (and perhaps also the perfect son) that imperiled him.2003, Ruth R. Wisse, The Modern Jewish Canon: A Journey Through Language, →ISBN