ism
noun
a distinctive doctrine, theory, system, or practice.
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ism
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-ism
-isma 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 ).
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ISM
ISMabbreviationinterstellar medium
ism
1 American
[iz-uhm]
/ ˈɪz əm /
noun
-ism
2
American
-ism
1
British
suffix
-
indicating an action, process, or result
criticism
terrorism
-
indicating a state or condition
paganism
-
indicating a doctrine, system, or body of principles and practices
Leninism
spiritualism
-
indicating behaviour or a characteristic quality
heroism
-
indicating a characteristic usage, esp of a language
colloquialism
Scotticism
-
indicating prejudice on the basis specified
sexism
ageism
ISM
2
British
abbreviation
ism
3
British
/ ˈɪzəm /
noun
Etymology
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 )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Maybe national media outlets are cautious about deploying this ism, lest they be branded extreme, or lose audience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2023
“What you worry about ism this is two hours a day, right?”
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 8, 2020
Careerism is futile, yet somehow it is the only ism standing.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 23, 2020
But even though this is abstract photography decades before it became an ism in art, his work is seen as scientific.
From Slate ● Sep. 13, 2016
Long, unfamiliar words ending in tion, ism, and actic, with more talk about “the people” thrown in for good measure, like Big Ma throwing a pinch of salt into the cake batter.
From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia
We said, of course, yes, and brought the local publisher -ism into the mix to print the limited-edition zines that will be distributed at Halsey’s Frieze booth this week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2025
It doesn’t seem like one -ism or -ation is entirely to blame, like globalism or immigration, capitalism or inflation.
From Slate ● Oct. 12, 2024
This was, after all, the peak of "No Reservations" style "Yes, Chef" -ism, when cooking was supposed to be sexy and aggressive and a little bit dangerous.
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2024
"We have one more -ism in our history: Stalinism," says Andrei Kolesnikov, senior fellow at the Carnegie Eurasia Russia Centre.
From BBC ● May 6, 2024
In the majority of cases the English suffix -ism and the Esperanto suffix -ism coincide, thus: komunismo = communism, vegetarismo = vegetarianism.
From The International Auxiliary Language Esperanto Grammar and Commentary by Cox, George
ISM Manufacturing PMI, a popular barometer of national manufacturing activity, held above 50 for a sixth straight month in June, according to the latest data.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
“In June, 34 percent of the comments were positive and 66 percent negative, with a 1-to-1.9 ratio of positive to negative sentiment,” said Susan Spence, chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
For example, the latest ISM manufacturing index accelerated to 54, the highest reading since 2022, while Friday’s jobs data showed a rolling three-month average gain of 166,000, the highest since 2023.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026
ADP private payrolls data and the ISM services report were stronger than expected, fuelling expectations the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
The Termination ISM is always us'd but as one Syllable; as Where griesly Schism and raging Strife appear.Cowl.
From The Art of English Poetry (1708) by Bysshe, Edward
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
