Etymology : Latin pragmaticus skilled in law or business, from Greek pragmatikos, from pragmat-, pragma deed, from prassein to do; more at PRACTICAL
Pronunciation : prag-'ma-tik
Function : adjective
Date : 1616
1. practical, pertaining to action, of practice. pragmatic\prag*mat"ic\ , pragmatical \prag*mat"ic*al\ , ] a. [l. pragmaticus busy, active, skilled in business, especially in law and state affairs, systematic, gr. , fr. a thing done, business, fr. to do: cf. f. pragmatique. see:
practical.].
2. of or pertaining to business or to affairs; of the nature of business; practical; material; businesslike in habit or manner. the next day i began to be very pragmatical. we can not always be contemplative, diligent, or pragmatical, abroad; but have need of some delightful intermissions. low, pragmatical, earthly views of the gospel.
3. busy; specifically, busy in an objectionable way; officious; fussy and positive; meddlesome. "pragmatical officers of justice." w. scott. the fellow grew so pragmatical that he took upon him the government of my whole family.
4. philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; -- said of literature. "pragmatic history." w. hamilton. "pragmatic poetry." arnold.pragmatic sanction, a solemn ordinance or decree issued by the head or legislature of a state upon weighty matters; -- a term derived from the byzantine empire. in european history, two decrees under this name are particularly celebrated. one of these, issued by charles vii. of france, a. d. 1438, was the foundation of the liberties of the gallican church; the other, issued by charles vi. of germany, a. d. 1724, settled his hereditary dominions on his eldest daughter, the archduchess maria theresa.pragmatic \prag*mat"ic\, n.
5. one skilled in affairs. my attorney and solicitor too; a fine pragmatic. jonson.
6. a solemn public ordinance or decree. a royal pragmatic was accordingly passed.pragmatic adj.
7. concerned with practical matters; "a matter-of-fact (or pragmatic) approach to the problem"; "a matter-of-fact account of the trip" [syn: matter-of-fact, pragmatical].
8. of or concerning the theory of pragmatism [syn: pragmatical].
9. guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory; "a hardheaded appraisal of our position"; "a hard-nosed labor leader"; "completely practical in his approach to business"; "not ideology but pragmatic politics" [syn: hardheaded, hard-nosed, practical].
10. Of or pertaining to business or to affairs; of the nature of business; practical; material; businesslike in habit or manner.
11. Busy; specifically, busy in an objectionable way; officious; fussy and positive; meddlesome.
12. Philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; said of literature.
13. One skilled in affairs.
14. A solemn public ordinance or decree. of or concerning the theory of pragmatism.
15. A pragmatic way of dealing with something is based on practical considerations, rather than theoretical ones. A pragmatic person deals with things in a practical way. a pragmatic approach to the problems faced by Latin America. = realistic, practical + pragmatically prag·mati·cal·ly `I can't ever see:
us doing anything else,' states Brian pragmatically. dealing with problems in a sensible, practical way instead of strictly following a set of ideas dogmatic (pragmaticus , from , from pragma ).