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sim·plism (sĭmplĭz′əm)
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n.
The tendency to oversimplify an issue or a problem by ignoring complexities or complications.
[French simplisme, from simple, simple, from Old French; see SIMPLE.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
sim·plis·tic (sĭm-plĭstĭk)
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adj.
1. Characterized by oversimplification, as in ignoring complexities or complications: simplistic solutions that would not solve the budget crisis.
2. Usage Problem Simple.
sim·plisti·cal·ly adv.
Usage Note: The usual meaning of simplistic is "characterized by oversimplification." It is occasionally used to mean "simple," with no negative overtones, but this usage, as in The song is short and sweet, with admirably simplistic lyrics that carry such depth in so few words, was rejected by 84 percent of the Usage Panel in 2011.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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