ideology

[ahy-dee-ol-uh-jee, id-ee-]

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

/ 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

ideology

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ideology¹

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

Example Sentences

His mind slalomed elegantly through the intimacies of his body, his marriages and his neighborhood, but never through ideology.

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Now, as parents and grandparents, they are passing along a skepticism toward higher education and its hefty price tag, part of the broader unraveling of America’s “college for all” ideology.

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“Unanimous, across-the-aisle votes in both chambers tells us that big policy change is possible when we choose evidence over ideology and kids over politics.”

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The panel was acting based on “predetermined ideology,” not science, said Crawford, a past president of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners who specializes in treating childhood seizures.

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Weiss then started a newsletter that eventually grew into the Free Press, positioning the news and opinion site as a check on what she saw as the media’s adherence to a “woke” ideology.

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Related Words

• creed 
• culture 
• dogma 
• outlook 
• philosophy 
• theory 
• view