praxis
n.n. the practical application of a theory or set of ideas. It is the way people actually do things based on what they believe.
n. the actual practice or application of an idea, belief, or theory. In philosophy, it refers to the process of putting abstract knowledge into action.
The gap between theory and praxis is often large.
The social workers discussed how their daily praxis must align with the ethical principles they learned in their training.
Critical theorists argue that true social change requires a praxis that bridges the divide between intellectual understanding and the lived realities of the working class.
Partly from Latin prāxis and partly from its etymon Ancient Greek πρᾶξις (prâxis, “action, activity, practice”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 19, 2026