-ism
English-language suffix / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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-ism (/-ˌɪzəm/) is a suffix in many English words, originally derived from the Ancient Greek suffix -ισμός (-ismós), and reached English through the Latin -ismus, and the French -isme.[1] It is used to create abstract nouns of action, state, condition, or doctrine, and is often used to describe philosophies, theories, religions, social movements, artistic movements, lifestyles,[2] behaviors, scientific phenomena,[3] or medical conditions.[4][5]
Look up -ism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
The concept of an -ism may resemble that of a grand narrative.[6]
Skeptics of any given -isms can quote the dictum attributed to Eisenhower: "All -isms are wasms".[7]