phenomenalism

noun

phe·​nom·​e·​nal·​ism fi-ˈnä-mə-nə-ˌli-zəm 

1

: a theory that limits knowledge to phenomena only

2

: a theory that all knowledge is of phenomena and that what is construed to be perception of material objects is simply perception of sense-data

phenomenalist

fi-ˈnä-mə-nə-list 

noun or adjective

phenomenalistic

fi-ˌnä-mə-nə-ˈli-stik 

adjective

phenomenalistically

fi-ˌnä-mə-nə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1