continentalism

[ kon-tn-en-tl-iz-uhm ]

noun

1. an attitude, expression, etc., characteristic of a continent, especially of Europe.
2. an attitude or policy of favoritism or partiality to a continent:

   American continentalism.

3. the belief or doctrine that the U.S. and Canada should merge into a North American nation, especially for mutual economic benefit.

Other Words From

• conti·nental·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of continentalism¹

First recorded in 1850–55; continental + -ism

Example Sentences

The group’s views are based on an ideology called “continentalism” espoused by the anti-Western Russian political scientist, Alexander Dugin.

From Washington Post

Buell shows that though the Good Neighbor policy and U. S. pledges to Canada may seem simple continentalism in the Beard sense, they are actually world commitments in the modern world at war.

From Time Magazine Archive

Canada owes its prosperity in great part to American investment, but "creeping continentalism" � as some Canadians sneeringly call their country's close economic ties with the U.S. � is for many a matter of national pride and politics.

From Time Magazine Archive

Most of these comedies had in common the impact of Continentalism on the stolid conservatism of Old England.

From Time Magazine Archive

The liberation of Mexico and all Central America, followed as a matter of course; and the ground was thus cleared for the practical application of that Continentalism enunciated in the Monroe doctrine.

From Project Gutenberg