absolutism

UK/ˈæb.sə.luː.tɪz.m̩/US/ˈæb.səˌluˌtɪz.m̩/

nounC2Very rare — outside the 30,000 commonest English words, so you will meet it in writing rather than in speech — absolute sits at #2,275mostly written

Absolutism is the view that some truths hold everywhere, always. Moral absolutism, reject absolutism, a kind of absolutism.

In ethics it is the opposite of relativism, and it holds that some acts are wrong regardless of circumstance. In politics it names rule by a monarch with no legal limit at all, which is a separate and older sense.

Definitions of absolutism

1nounabsolutismThe view that some truths hold everywhere, always.C2
“In the debate, he defended absolutism, arguing that human rights apply in every culture.”

absolutism is a belief.

Where it comes from

From absolute plus -ism, in theological use from 1753 and political use from 1830.

French
absolutisme
English, today
absolutism

First attested in 1753 (in the theological sense); attested in 1830 in the political sense. From absolute + ism, based after French absolutisme.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

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absolutism in the wild

Moral absolutism is a metaethical view that some or even all actions are intrinsically right or wrong, regardless of context or consequence.
Moral absolutism
Anekantavada has also been interpreted to mean non-absolutism, "intellectual Ahimsa", religious pluralism, as well as a rejection of fanaticism that leads to terror attacks and mass violence.
Anekantavada
Historian Martyn Rady argues absolutism was a term applied post-hoc to monarchs before the French Revolution, with the adjective 'absolute' going back to the Middle Ages.
Absolutism (European history)
There is a considerable variety of opinion by historians on the extent of absolutism among European monarchs.
Absolutism (European history)
The Danish ampulla, used during the king's anointing in the period of absolutism, is cylindrical in shape, made of gold, and decorated with enameled flower motifs and diamonds.
Ampulla

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

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