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Ideology was coined during which century?

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ideology

American  

[ahy-dee-ol-uh-jee, id-ee-] / ˌaɪ diˈɒl ə dʒi, ˌɪd i- /

noun

ideologies plural

1. the body of doctrine, myth, belief, etc., that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group.

2. such a body of doctrine, myth, etc., with reference to some political and social plan, as that of fascism, along with the devices for putting it into operation.

3. Philosophy.

   1. the study of the nature and origin of ideas.

   2. a system that derives ideas exclusively from sensation.

4. theorizing of a visionary or impractical nature.

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ideology British  

/ ˌaɪdɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, ˌaɪdɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. a body of ideas that reflects the beliefs and interests of a nation, political system, etc and underlies political action

2. philosophy sociol the set of beliefs by which a group or society orders reality so as to render it intelligible

3. speculation that is imaginary or visionary

4. the study of the nature and origin of ideas

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ideology Cultural  

1. A system of beliefs or theories, usually political, held by an individual or a group. Capitalism, communism, and socialism are usually called ideologies.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ideological
  adjective
• ideologically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ideologies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ideology

First recorded in 1790–1800; ideo- + -logy

Explanation

An ideology is a set of opinions or beliefs of a group or an individual. Very often ideology refers to a set of political beliefs or a set of ideas that characterize a particular culture. Capitalism, communism, socialism, and Marxism are ideologies. But not all -ism words are. Think: cronyism (a system of graft whereby friends unfairly help each other make money.) Our English noun is from French idéologie. The suffix –logy, used with many English words describing theories or doctrines, is from Greek logos "word, reason, speech, account."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ideology ideologies

Atlantic writer Adam Serwer describes what happened in response to Operation Metro Surge as “neighborism,” the ideology that one should care for, and protect, one’s surrounding communities.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

Second, the order designates as an organization something the FBI’s past leadership has described as an ideology.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026

That 1985 prediction seems wildly optimistic, yet Mr. Meese is right to insist there is no necessary connection between political ideology and legal method.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Sir Keir's argument was that he would be pragmatic, not bound by ideology or too fixed a worldview.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

In his absence, for more than thirty years, she tirelessly guarded his legacy and fought to ensure that his ideology was clear.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

In contrast, the rigid ideologies of homogenous teams “constrain portfolio choice” and make it less likely that the funds will “adapt to novel or changing environments.”

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 12, 2026

That’s because local media campaigns that reflect different political ideologies and community priorities may have a better chance of influencing the public.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2026

The children especially are growing up surrounded by "dangerous ideas and ideologies" in the camp, she said.

From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026

But without a mix of people of different ages, ideologies, walks of life and levels of faith, parish life risks becoming a stifling, overly homogeneous echo chamber—one incapable of sustaining a lively faith.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

These wartime allies stood for opposing worldviews and hostile ideologies, and their recent triumph over Nazism made them less, not more, open to compromise.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Related Words

• creed
• culture
• dogma
• outlook
• philosophy
• theory
• view