tabula rasa
[ tab-yuh-luh rah-suh, -zuh, rey-; Latin tah-boo-lah rah-sah ]
/ ˈtæb yə lə ˈrɑ sə, -zə, ˈreɪ-; Latin ˈtɑ bʊˌlɑ ˈrɑ sɑ /
noun, plural ta·bu·lae ra·sae [tab-yuh-lee rah-see, -zee, rey-; Latin tah-boo-lahy rah-sahy] /ˈtæb yəˌli ˈrɑ si, -zi, ˈreɪ-; Latin ˈtɑ bʊˌlaɪ ˈrɑ saɪ/.
a mind not yet affected by experiences, impressions, etc.
anything existing undisturbed in its original pure state.
Origin of tabula rasa
First recorded in 1525–35,
tabula rasa is from the Latin word
tabula rāsa scraped tablet, clean slate
Words nearby tabula rasa
British Dictionary definitions for tabula rasa
tabula rasa
/ (ˈtæbjʊlə ˈrɑːsə) /
noun plural tabulae rasae (ˈtæbjʊliː ˈrɑːsiː)
(esp in the philosophy of Locke) the mind in its uninformed original state
an opportunity for a fresh start; clean slate
Word Origin for tabula rasa
Latin: a scraped tablet (one from which the writing has been erased)
Cultural definitions for tabula rasa
tabula rasa
[ (tab-yuh-luh rah-zuh, rah-suh) ]
Something new, fresh, unmarked, or uninfluenced. Tabula rasa is Latin for “blank slate.”
notes for tabula rasa
John
Locke believed that a child's mind was a tabula rasa.