rationalization

English

Alternative forms

• rationalisation

Etymology

First attested in 1831. From French rationalisation, equivalent to rational +‎ -ization or rationalize +‎ -ation.

Noun

rationalization (countable and uncountable, plural rationalizations)

1. The process or result of rationalizing.

   Coordinate term: casuistry

2. A statement of one's motives, or of the causes of some event.

   Synonyms: rationale, reasoning

3. A reorganization of a company or organization in order to improve its efficiency.

   Synonym: consolidation

4. (psychiatry) The concealment of true motivation in some non-threatening way.
5. (mathematics) The simplification of an expression without changing its value.

Derived terms

• backward rationalization
• rationalization hamster

Translations

process or result of rationalizing

• Finnish: rationaalistaminen, järkiperäistäminen, rationalisointi (fi), järkeily (fi), päättely (fi)
• French: rationalisation (fr) f
• German: Rationalisierung (de) f
• Hungarian: észszerűsítés, racionalizálás (hu)
• Polish: racjonalizacja (pl) f
• Portuguese: racionalização (pt) f
• Russian: рационализа́ция (ru) f (racionalizácija)
• Spanish: racionalización (es) f
• Turkish: rasyonalizasyon (tr), rasyonelleştirme (tr)

statement of one's motives

• Finnish: perustelu (fi)
• French: rationalisation (fr) f

reorganization of a company

• Bulgarian: рационализация (bg) f (racionalizacija)
• Czech: racionalizace f
• Finnish: järkeistäminen (fi), rationalisointi (fi), tehostaminen (fi)
• French: rationalisation (fr) f
• Slovak: racionalizácia

concealment of true motivation

• Czech: racionalizace f
• Dutch: rationalisatie (nl) f
• Finnish: rationaalistaminen
• Hungarian: megideologizálás
• Slovak: racionalizácia

simplification of a mathematical expression

• Finnish: sieventäminen
• French: rationalisation (fr) f