What Does the Root Word Ism Mean
Definitions
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- A suffix indicating an
act , aprocess , theresult of an act or a process , astate ; also, acharacteristic (as a theory, doctrine, idiom, etc.).
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- suffix forming nouns on action or process or result based on the accompanying verb in
-ize - suffix forming the name of a system, school of thought or theory based on the name of its subject or object or alternatively on the name of its founder ((when de-capitalized, these overlap with the generic "doctrines" sense below, e.g. Liberalism vs.
liberalism ):). - suffix a tendency of behaviour, action or opinion belonging to a class or group of persons; the result of a
doctrine ,ideology ,principle , or lack thereof - suffix a peculiarity or characteristic of language
- suffix an ideology expressing belief in the superiority of a certain class within the concept expressed by the root word ((based on a late 20th-century narrowing of the "terms for a doctrine" sense):)
- suffix medicine A condition or syndrome caused by or associated with a specific type of organism
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Ultimately from either Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismos), a suffix that forms abstract nouns of action, state, condition, doctrine; from stem of verbs in -ιζειν (-izein) (whence English -ize), or from the related suffix Ancient Greek -ισμα (-isma), which more specifically expressed a finished act or thing done.
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Examples
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The slightly older faith tradition of Rastafari whose adherents prefer not to be referred to with "-ism" apparently crosses the line of what's protected under religious freedom.
Frank Fredericks: Protecting Pastafarians: When Does Religious Freedom Become Ridiculous?
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Today's Republicans extol the virtues of freedom, as they simultaneously and occasionally promote "there ought to be a law"-ism.
Robert Eisinger: Redefining Conservative Consistency
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But I had started to tell you about the company you had in rolling your eyes at the discovery of still another -ism, and one that perhaps seems utterly trivial, to boot.
Bella DePaulo: Taking on Singlism: 28 Writers Help Me Display and Slay the Beast
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Like most words that end in "-ism," multiculturalism as a policy divided people instead of building connections.
Homa Sabet Tavangar: How to Save Multiculturalism
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He had become friends in Paris with André Breton, finding his once longed-for -ism.
Joan Miró: A life in paintings
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It would be easy to wonder: is this what modern "moll"-ism looks like – cancelling Facebook, stopping Tweeting, stifling the modern confessional urge, to stand by your man, even if he isn't your man any more?
David Cameron, shame on you, for this 'brave' attack on nurses | Barbara Ellen
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Miró was, above all, desperate, in the spirit of the moment, to be part of an -ism, or, better, to create one.
Joan Miró: A life in paintings
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Then adventuring became an -ism and lost even more respect.
No Uncertain Terms
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Then adventuring became an -ism and lost even more respect.
No Uncertain Terms
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Then adventuring became an -ism and lost even more respect.
No Uncertain Terms
What Does the Root Word Ism Mean
Source: https://www.wordnik.com/words/-ism