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Decentered: meaning, definitions and examples

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decentered

 

[ diːˈsɛn.tərd ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

philosophy, social theory

Decentered refers to a state where the central authority, focus, or perspective is diminished or absent. In philosophical and social contexts, it often denotes a shift away from traditional hierarchies or subjective viewpoints, embracing multiplicity and dispersal of meaning.

Synonyms

decentralized, dispersed, distributed, non-hierarchical.

Examples of usage

  • The decentered approach allows for multiple viewpoints.
  • In modern art, the decentered perspective is prevalent.
  • Decentered narratives can challenge dominant cultural stories.

Translations

Translations of the word "decentered" in other languages:

🇵🇹 decentralizado

🇮🇳 केंद्रित नहीं

🇩🇪 dezentralisiert

🇮🇩 decentred

🇺🇦 декцентрований

🇵🇱 decentralizowany

🇯🇵 中心から外れた

🇫🇷 décentré

🇪🇸 descentralizado

🇹🇷 merkezden uzak

🇰🇷 탈중심화된

🇸🇦 غير مركزي

🇨🇿 decentralizovaný

🇸🇰 decentralizovaný

🇨🇳 去中心化的

🇸🇮 decentraliziran

🇮🇸 afmarkaður

🇰🇿 орталықтандырылмаған

🇬🇪 დეცენტრალიზებული

🇦🇿 mərkəzləşdirilməmiş

🇲🇽 descentralizado

Etymology

The term 'decentered' is derived from the prefix 'de-' meaning to remove or reverse, and the word 'center,' which comes from the Latin 'centrum' meaning 'middle' or 'focus.' The concept emerged more prominently in the 20th century, particularly within the realms of postmodern philosophy and critical theory. Thinkers such as Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida contributed to the idea by challenging the traditional dominance of single perspectives in knowledge and authority. As they asserted that no single narrative could adequately explain complex social phenomena, the notion of being decentered became increasingly relevant in various disciplines, including literary criticism, sociology, and cultural studies. The idea promotes a more pluralistic view of knowledge, where multiple narratives coexist without a singular dominating viewpoint, reflecting the complexities of human experience.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,025, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.