ism

¹

[ iz-uhm ]

noun

1. a distinctive doctrine, theory, system, or practice:

   This is the age of isms.

-ism

²

1. a suffix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it was used to form action nouns from verbs ( baptism ); on this model, used as a productive suffix in the formation of nouns denoting action or practice, state or condition, principles, doctrines, a usage or characteristic, devotion or adherence, etc. ( criticism; barbarism; Darwinism; despotism; plagiarism; realism; witticism; intellectualism ).

ism

¹

/ ˈɪzəm /

noun

1. informal.
   an unspecified doctrine, system, or practice

ISM

²

abbreviation for

1. interstellar medium

-ism

³

suffix forming nouns

1. indicating an action, process, or result

   terrorism

   criticism

2. indicating a state or condition

   paganism

3. indicating a doctrine, system, or body of principles and practices

   spiritualism

   Leninism

4. indicating behaviour or a characteristic quality

   heroism

5. indicating a characteristic usage, esp of a language

   Scotticism

   colloquialism

6. indicating prejudice on the basis specified

   sexism

   ageism

Word History and Origins

Origin of ism¹

Extracted from words with the suffix -ism

Origin of ism²

From Greek -ismos, -isma noun suffixes, often directly, often through Latin -ismus, -isma, sometimes through French -isme, German -ismus (all ultimately from Greek )

Word History and Origins

Origin of ism¹

from Old French -isme, from Latin -ismus, from Greek -ismos

Example Sentences

As someone who really did think a lot about the phobias and the isms in the world before I came out, even with that, I think it is very hard to understand just how pervasive these prejudices are until you experience them firsthand.

From Ozy

Dorothy Parker once noted that “the only ‘ism’ Hollywood cares about is plagiarism.”

From The Daily Beast

Yet American minimalism, isolationism, realism, mind-our-own-business-ism—whatever you want to call it—is cyclical.

From The Daily Beast

Similar explanations were offered for the very weak ISM manufacturing numbers released in early February.

From The Daily Beast

American business has always been characterized by a certain me-too-ism.

From The Daily Beast

Though generally ignored by the international press, it is “Abbas-ism” that rules the PA.

From The Daily Beast

That is what everybody says when they want to prove any theory, creed, ism, or anything.

From Project Gutenberg

Outside of New York the political labor movement was not associated either with the single tax or any other "ism."

From Project Gutenberg

By this means I should have escaped the reproach of the most terrible ism of them all, that of Jacobitism.

From Project Gutenberg

If we were a race of flunkies, ample opportunities had been afforded to have our flunky-ism whipped out of us.

From Project Gutenberg

It all looks traitorous, but perhaps it is mere Matilda-ism.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• congregation
• denomination
• faith
• religion
• sect
• society