Occam's Razor
Preserved but no longer current.
Entla non sunt multiplicanda (entities are not to be multiplied). With this axiom, which means that all unnecessary facts or constituents in the subject being analysed are to be eliminated, Occam dissected every question as with a razor.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Occam's Razor” mean?
Entla non sunt multiplicanda (entities are not to be multiplied). With this axiom, which means that all unnecessary facts or constituents in the subject being analysed are to be eliminated, Occam dissected every question as with a razor.
Is “Occam's Razor” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.