reality
nounUK /ɹiːˈælɪti/ · US /ɹiˈæləti/
Etymology From French réalité (“quality of being real”), from Middle French realité (“property, possession”), from Medieval Latin reālitās, from Late Latin reālis (“real”), equivalent to real + -ity. Recorded since 1550 as a legal term in the sense of “fixed property” (compare real estate, realty); the sense “real existence” is attested from 1647. First attested in c. 1540.
8 senses
1
Usually The state of being actual or real; realness.
- The reality of the crash scene on TV dawned upon him only when he saw the victim was no actor but his friend.
- While the SCP universe is, of course, filled with things that we would certainly not consider "real", most of the SCPs are tangible or perceivable in some way. There are those concepts, however, whose reality is debatable, even to the SCP Foundation, begging them to ask the question of what, exactly, is real.2019 January 7, “Exploring the SCP Foundation: Pattern Screamers” (0:11 from the start), in The Exploring Series, archived from the original on 11 Jan 2023:
2
Usually The real world.
- A man very often fancies that he understands a critic, when in reality he does not comprehend his meaning.1712 February 12 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “FRIDAY, February 2, 1711–1712”, in The Spectator, number 291; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
- As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish,[…]. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get.[…]I do not suppose that it matters much in reality whether laws are made by dukes or cornerboys, but I like, as far as possible, to associate with gentlemen in private life.1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:
1 more example
- Does this mean that reality has caught up with science fiction?2015 August 13, Emmanuel Tsekleves, “Science fiction as fact: how desires drive discoveries”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 18 Jun 2016:
3
Usually A real entity, event, or other fact.
- The ultimate reality of life is that it ends in death.
- There are several new realities that this team now needs to accept: our old project is dead, and our new project is now the priority.
4 more examples
- And to realities yield all her shows.1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- My neck, Sir, may be an idea to you, but to me it is a reality.1770, James Beattie, Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth:
- A dream, of simple fantasy / That I, wished was reality / That you'd, come knocking at my door / And we'd, relive this dream once more1983, Debarge, “A Dream”, in In A Special Way:
- Recent historical studies indicate that we must continue to challenge the notion that there is an unproblematic story of queer liberation. For example, how do local histories account for realities such as the increased racial segregation of the New York bar scene after Stonewall?1996 September, Doreen Drury, “The Gay Capital of the World”, in Gay Community News, page 22:
4
Usually The entirety of all that is real.
- Across the entire Universe. Never stopping, never faltering, never fading. People and planets and stars will become dust. And the dust will become atoms and the atoms will become... nothing. And the wavelength will continue, breaking through the rift at the heart of the Medusa Cascade into every dimension, every parallel, every single corner of creation. This is my ultimate victory, Doctor! The DESTRUCTION! Of REALITY! ITSELF!2008 July 5, Russell T Davies, “Journey's End”, in Graeme Harper, director, Doctor Who, season 4 [30], episode 13, spoken by Davros (Julian Bleach):
5
Usually An individual observer's own subjective perception of that which is real.
6
Obsolete, Usually Loyalty; devotion.
- To express our reality to the emperor.1642, Thomas Fuller, The Holy State, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel for John Williams, […], →OCLC:
8
Broadcasting, Media Usually Reality television.
- a foray into reality programming
- Antonyms
- fantasy
- Derived terms
44 terms
alternate reality game, antireality, bite of the reality sandwich, break reality, celebreality, cyberreality, detached from reality, disreality, divorced from reality, dramality, extended reality, hyperreality, in reality, irreality, macroreality, mugged by reality, neoreality, new reality, nonreality, online reality game, pseudoreality, reality-based, reality bender, reality challenged, reality check, reality distortion field, reality gap, reality mining, reality pornography, reality principle, reality shifter, reality shifting, reality show, reality television, reality testing, reality therapy, reality TV, reality warper, reality warping, semireality, superreality, telereality, unreality, wikiality- Related terms
- realia, realism, realization, realize, realty