neologism

[ nee-ol-uh-jiz-uhm ]

noun

1. a new word, meaning, usage, or phrase.
2. the introduction or use of new words or new senses of existing words.
3. a new doctrine, especially a new interpretation of sacred writings.
4. Psychiatry. a new word, often consisting of a combination of other words, that is understood only by the speaker: occurring most often in the speech of schizophrenics.

neologism

/ ˌnɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl; nɪˈɒləˌdʒɪzəm /

noun

1. a newly coined word, or a phrase or familiar word used in a new sense
2. the practice of using or introducing neologisms
3. rare.
   a tendency towards adopting new views, esp rationalist views, in matters of religion

Derived Forms

• neˌoloˈgistic, adjective
• neˌoloˈgistically, adverb
• neˈologist, noun

Other Words From

• ne·olo·gist noun
• ne·olo·gistic ne·olo·gisti·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of neologism¹

From the French word néologisme, dating back to 1790–1800. See neology, -ism

Word History and Origins

Origin of neologism¹

C18: via French from neo- + -logism, from Greek logos word, saying

Example Sentences

As with all our neologism contests, you’re welcome to use your word in a funny sentence to make your entry funnier, and you are not welcome to use your word in one that doesn’t.

From Washington Post

This neologism challenge is more restrictive than our Spelling Bee contest, whose results run today, since you can’t use a single “tile” more than once.

From Washington Post

Many neologisms are portmanteaux, terms that combine two existing words.

From Washington Post

Raniere made a big deal about patenting it, and spun wonky neologisms that obscured rather than explained what he was doing.

From Fortune

It inspired endless debate, countless think pieces, and a neologism that instantly penetrated mainstream culture.

From The Daily Beast

In the blink of an eye a neologism was formed, half Turkish, half English.

From The Daily Beast

Witness the ridiculous neologism “Jew-washing”—the latest, Jewiest entry in the “No True Scotsman” competition.

From The Daily Beast

Captology is a neologism coined by BJ Fogg, director of the very Soviet-sounding Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab.

From The Daily Beast

The label stuck, and a search for “santorum” delivers the neologism first.

From The Daily Beast

Rossetti's "Yester-year" moreover, is an absurd and affected neologism; "Antan" is an excellent and living French word.

From Project Gutenberg

In this one ordinary speech seemed to have been insufficient to describe the blotch, and he had to resort to a neologism.

From Project Gutenberg

But it observed a very high standard of classical English, a little intolerant of neologism, but not stiff nor jejune.

From Project Gutenberg

The locution of which we have made use—passed to the state of—has been condemned as a neologism by M. Royer Collard.

From Project Gutenberg

But if dictionaries are to be the arbiters of language, in which of them shall we find neologism?

From Project Gutenberg