Main Entry: de·ter·min·ism

Pronunciation: \di-ˈtər-mə-ˌniz-əm\

Function: noun

1 : a theory or doctrine that acts of the will, occurrences in nature, or social or psychological phenomena are causally determined by preceding events or natural laws <explained behavior by the combination of an environmental and a genetic determinism>
2 : the quality or state of being determined

—de·ter·min·is·tic \-ˌtər-mə-ˈnis-tik\ also de·ter·min·ist \-ˈtərm-(ə-)nəst\ adjective

—de·ter·min·is·ti·cal·ly \-ˌtər-mə-ˈnis-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb