irredentism

American  

[ir-i-den-tiz-uhm] / ˌɪr ɪˈdɛn tɪz əm /

noun

1. (usually initial capital letter) an Italian association that became prominent in 1878, advocating the incorporation into Italy of certain neighboring regions having a primarily Italian population.

   After World War II, Irredentism faded away in Italian politics.

2. the acquisition or annexation of a region previously included in another country because of cultural, historical, ethnic, racial, or other ties, or advocacy for such an acquisition.

   Few countries are explicitly mandating irredentism, but having ethnic communities divided by borders created by colonialists is hugely troublesome.

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Etymology

Origin of irredentism

First recorded in 1880–85; irredent(ism) ( def. ) + -ist ( def. )

Example Sentences

Outsiders gape in confusion, but such arcane arguments lend a patina of academic authority to the mostly emotional support irredentism often enjoys.

From Washington Post • Dec. 14, 2021

Among conflict-generating “isms” the most relevant one today, however, may be irredentism.

From Washington Post • Dec. 14, 2021

After the statue was unveiled, the Croats summoned Italy’s ambassador in Zagreb and condemned it as celebrating irredentism, the turn-of-the-20th-century Italian movement to reclaim “unredeemed” lands.

From New York Times • Nov. 16, 2019

Even when irredentism does not lead to open conflict between countries, it tends to cause misery and injustice within them.

From Time Magazine Archive

Most of all she has to be careful not to claim territory, which would mean everlasting unrest and a new irredentism.

From New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 5, August, 1915 by Various