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deflationist

1 9.9

A person who believes that words like 'truth' do not refer to any real thing

noun
/dɪˈfleɪʃənɪst/

Specialized

: deflacionista

The philosopher identifies as a deflationist, arguing that our understanding of truth is merely a linguistic construct.

Examples

So I'm not a deflationist about truth in that sense.
I 'm not sure what you mean by "deflationist."

Blog text (34)
As a deflationist, she believes the meanings we attach to words do not hold intrinsic value.
Critics of the deflationist view argue that some concepts, like morality, possess substantial meanings beyond mere language.

Surface Forms

deflationist singular

deflationists plural

Morphology

deflationist = deflation (semi-transparent) = deflation + ist

As a label for an adherent of the philosophical view 'deflationism', the meaning depends on a technical sense of 'deflation' and may not be obvious to learners unfamiliar with the philosophical term.

Etymology

Deflationist comes from deflate ('let air out' or 'make smaller') and -ist ('a person who believes'). So a deflationist about truth or meaning 'lets the air out' of the idea, saying it is not a deep thing but just a feature of our language.