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ideology

American  
[ahy-dee-ol-uh-jee, id-ee-] / ˌaɪ diˈɒl ə dʒi, ˌɪd i- /

noun

plural

ideologies

  1. the body of doctrine, myth, belief, etc., that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group.

  2. such a body of doctrine, myth, etc., with reference to some political and social plan, as that of fascism, along with the devices for putting it into operation.

  3. Philosophy.

    1. the study of the nature and origin of ideas.

    2. a system that derives ideas exclusively from sensation.

  4. theorizing of a visionary or impractical nature.

ideology British  
/ ˌaɪdɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, ˌaɪdɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

  1. a body of ideas that reflects the beliefs and interests of a nation, political system, etc and underlies political action

  2. philosophy sociol the set of beliefs by which a group or society orders reality so as to render it intelligible

  3. speculation that is imaginary or visionary

  4. the study of the nature and origin of ideas

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
ideology Cultural  

  1. A system of beliefs or theories, usually political, held by an individual or a group. Capitalism, communism, and socialism are usually called ideologies.

Other Word Forms

  • ideological adjective
  • ideologically adverb

Etymology

Origin of ideology

First recorded in 1790–1800; ideo- + -logy

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.