rationalisation (n.)

  1. (psychiatry) a defense mechanism by which your true motivation is concealed by explaining your actions and feelings in a way that is not threatening

    [ Syn: rationalization ]

  2. the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason

    [ Syn: rationalization ]

  3. (mathematics) the simplification of an expression or equation by eliminating radicals without changing the value of the expression or the roots of the equation

    [ Syn: rationalization ]

  4. the organization of a business according to scientific principles of management in order to increase efficiency

    [ Syn: rationalization ]

  5. systematic organization; the act of organizing something according to a system or a rationale

    [ Syn: systematization , systematisation , rationalization ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.