From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfunctionalismfunc‧tion‧al‧is‧m /ˈfʌŋkʃənəlɪzəm/ noun [uncountable] USEFULthe idea that the most important thing about a building, piece of furniture etc is that it is useful —functionalist noun [countable] —functionalist adjective
Examples from the Corpus
functionalism• Mannheim's ideas will now be applied to two of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology: Marxism and functionalism.• One of Durkheim's main legacies is the sociological tradition known as functionalism.• This will involve a brief discussion of the approach known in contemporary philosophy as functionalism.• As earthbound concrete replaced shimmering glass, so crude functionalism was to supplant soaring aspiration.• Its functionalism was at least tempered by a grand conception of space.• Unfortunately, much of the drab utilitarianism of urban existence has come to be associated with the design philosophy of functionalism.• Even at this moment of patriotic and quasi-mystical emotion, rationalized functionalism is expressed. 