materialist
UK: məˈtɪəriəlɪst | US: məˈtɪriəlɪst
n. 1. A person who prioritizes physical comfort and wealth over spiritual or intellectual values.
n. 2. A philosopher who believes that matter is the fundamental substance of reality.
adj. 3. Relating to or characteristic of materialism.
The word "materialist" combines "material," derived from Latin materia (meaning "matter" or "substance"), with the suffix "-ist," from Greek -istes (denoting an adherent of a practice or philosophy). The term emerged in the 17th century to describe philosophers who viewed matter as the primary reality, later expanding to critique those overly focused on wealth and possessions. The morphemes reflect a clear progression: "material" anchors the concept in physicality, while "-ist" assigns agency or belief.
The materialist argued that consciousness arises solely from physical processes.
Critics accused him of being a materialist for valuing luxury over art.
Her materialist lifestyle left little room for spiritual growth.
Ancient Greek atomists were early materialists in philosophy.
The novel satirizes the materialist culture of the 1980s.