ontological
/ˌɒn.təˈlɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Relating to being, existence, or the nature of what is real. It is often used in philosophy and academic writing.
- The debate raised an ontological question.
- Her paper discusses ontological differences between humans and machines.
- This is an ontological issue, not just a practical one.
Adinary Nuance
Ontological is more specific than words like real or actual. It points to the deep nature of existence, especially in philosophy or academic discussion. Writers choose it when they are asking what something is, not just how it works. It sounds formal and technical, so it is not common in everyday speech.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- thuộc bản thể
- Spanish
- ontológico
- Chinese
- 本体论的
- Japanese
- 存在論的
- Korean
- 존재론적인
Etymology
Ontological comes from ontology, the study of being or existence. Ontology came into English in the 17th century from Greek roots meaning 'being' and 'study'.
Common phrases
ontological questionontological argumentontological statusontological difference
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is ontological a common word?
- No, it is mainly used in philosophy, theory, and academic writing.
- What is the difference between ontological and existential?
- Ontological is about being or existence in general. Existential often refers to human life, choice, or personal meaning.
- Can I use ontological in everyday speaking?
- You can, but it may sound very formal or academic in daily conversation.
- What does ontological question mean?
- It means a question about what something really is, or whether it exists in a certain way.