PREVAILING BELIEF Meaning and
Definition
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The term "prevailing belief" refers to a widely accepted or commonly held opinion, viewpoint, or conviction that is dominant within a particular society, culture, or community. It characterizes the predominant or prevailing thought or belief system that is recurrently embraced and adhered to by a majority or significant portion of individuals within a given context.
A prevailing belief often reflects the collective understanding, values, and conventions of a society at a specific time, shaping attitudes, behaviors, and decision-making processes. It is based on shared experiences, social norms, historical influences, or philosophical frameworks that have gained prominence and acceptance within a particular group. Prevailing beliefs can pertain to a wide range of subjects, including religion, politics, science, morality, or cultural practices.
However, prevailing beliefs are not necessarily absolute truths or universally accepted principles. They can be subject to change, evolution, or revision as new evidence, alternative perspectives, or societal shifts emerge. While they provide a basis for social cohesion and guide individual conduct in many cases, prevailing beliefs can also contribute to prejudice, discrimination, or resistance to change.
Understanding prevailing beliefs requires examining the context, cultural dynamics, and historical factors that contributed to their formation and propagation. Consequently, analyzing prevailing beliefs is crucial for understanding societal trends, studying cultural evolution, promoting inclusivity, and fostering critical thinking.
Common Misspellings for PREVAILING BELIEF
- orevailing belief
- lrevailing belief
- -revailing belief
- 0revailing belief
- peevailing belief
- pdevailing belief
- pfevailing belief
- ptevailing belief
- p5evailing belief
- p4evailing belief
- prwvailing belief
- prsvailing belief
- prdvailing belief
- prrvailing belief
- pr4vailing belief
- pr3vailing belief
- precailing belief
- prebailing belief
- pregailing belief
- prefailing belief
Etymology of PREVAILING BELIEF
The etymology of the phrase "prevailing belief" can be understood by analyzing the origins of each of its constituent words:
1. Prevailing: The word "prevailing" comes from the Latin verb "praevalēre", which is a combination of "prae" (meaning "before" or "in front of") and "valēre" (meaning "to be strong" or "to prevail"). It suggests the notion of superseding or being dominant over others.
2. Belief: The word "belief" comes from the Old English noun "geleafa" or "gelēafa", which means "faith" or "confidence". This word is further derived from the Indo-European root "*leubh", meaning "to care" or "to desire". Over time, "belief" evolved to represent accepting something as true or having conviction in a particular concept.
