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institutionalism

[in-sti-too-shuh-nl-iz-uh m, -tyoo-]
See more synonyms for institutionalism on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the system of institutions or organized societies devoted to public, charitable, or similar purposes.
  2. strong attachment to established institutions, as of religion.
  3. the policy or practice of using public institutions to house and care for people considered incapable of caring for themselves.
  4. the belief or policy that a church must maintain institutions of education, welfare, etc., for its members.
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Origin of institutionalism

First recorded in 1860–65; institutional + -ism
Related formsin·sti·tu·tion·al·ist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for institutionalist

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The Christian institutionalist is the servant of a grand idea.

    Outspoken Essays

    William Ralph Inge

  • Protestants have always felt their affinity with this institutionalist, mystics with this disciplinarian.

    Outspoken Essays

    William Ralph Inge

British Dictionary definitions for institutionalist

institutionalism

noun
  1. the system of or belief in institutions
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Derived Formsinstitutionalist, noun
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