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• atticism
  atticism

  noun

  the style or idiom of Attic Greek occurring in another dialect or language.
• Atticism
  Atticism

  noun

  the idiom or character of the Attic dialect of Ancient Greek, esp in the Hellenistic period

atticism

American  

[at-uh-siz-uhm] / ˈæt əˌsɪz əm /

noun

(often initial capital letter)

1. the style or idiom of Attic Greek occurring in another dialect or language.

2. attachment to Athens or to the style, customs, etc., of the Athenians.

3. concise and elegant expression, diction, or the like.

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Atticism British  

/ ˈætɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. the idiom or character of the Attic dialect of Ancient Greek, esp in the Hellenistic period

2. an elegant, simple, and clear expression

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Other Word Forms

• Atticist
  noun
• atticist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of atticism

First recorded in 1605–15, atticism is from the Greek word Attikismós a siding with Athens, an Attic expression. See Attic, -ism

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

atticism Atticism

These censures can never be just upon a poet, whose style has always been allowed to be perfectly attick, and of an atticism which made him extremely delightful to the lovers of the Athenian taste.

From The Works of Samuel Johnson, Volume 05 Miscellaneous Pieces by Samuel Johnson

"It is certain," said Phellion, "that the leading article seems to me to be stamped with vigor joined to an atticism which we may seek in vain in the columns of the other public prints."

From The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honoré de Balzac

The Atticism which had guided and comprehended, now began to cramp development.

From The History of Roman Literature From the earliest period to the death of Marcus Aurelius by Charles Thomas Cruttwell

But though Atticism may be divided into several kinds, these mimic Athenians suspect but one.

From Cicero's Brutus or History of Famous Orators; also His Orator, or Accomplished Speaker. by E. Jones

This classical renaissance turned back the literary language into the old ossified forms, as had previously happened in the case of the Atticism of the early centuries of the empire.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 5 "Greek Law" to "Ground-Squirrel" by Various

Are you bound to give Vestorius some days, and must you go through the stale banquet of his Latin Atticism again after an interval?

From The Letters of Cicero, Volume 1 The Whole Extant Correspodence in Chronological Order by Evelyn S. Shuckburgh

We need not accept literally Pliny’s praises of his Atticism, and of the grace and sweetness of his Greek epigrams.

From Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius by Samuel Dill

Related Words

• grandeur