alienism

American  

[eyl-yuh-niz-uhm, ey-lee-uh-] / ˈeɪl yəˌnɪz əm, ˈeɪ li ə- /

noun

1. alienage.

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alienism British  

/ ˈeɪlɪə-, ˈeɪljəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. obsolete the study and treatment of mental illness

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Etymology

Origin of alienism

An Americanism dating back to 1800–10; alien + -ism

Example Sentences

With a frozen sense of her alienism, Lilly sat, as it were, outside the situation, proffering herself almost with a sense of intrusion.

From Star-Dust by Hurst, Fannie

But I know that slowly and unconsciously the atmosphere of the settlement thawed out the asperity of alienism.

From The Invisible Censor by Hackett, Francis

In spite of her friendly sympathy, he never felt so keenly his alienism as in her presence.

From Tales from Two Hemispheres by Boyesen, Hjalmar Hjorth

The alienism is then purely political, and works no hardship but what Suffragists conceive to be in the mental attitude of the worker.

From Woman and the Republic — a Survey of the Woman-Suffrage Movement in the United States and a Discussion of the Claims and Arguments of Its Foremost Advocates by Johnson, Helen Kendrick

And as if their alienism disturbed him, he moved restlessly, almost resentfully, bit his lips nervously, moistened them, and began putting away his things.

From Lifted Masks; stories by Glaspell, Susan