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:
“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
Because for all our talk of colorblindness, we don't really want to dispense with the idea of race so much as we want to lose the "ism."
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2014
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
The limited-edition zine, printed by -ism, will be at Halsey’s booth at Frieze L.A.
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
Byronism was exactly the -ism with which she could execute the wildest feats of half-voluntary and half-involuntary acrobatics, saltimbanquery, and chucking of her bonnet over all conceivable and inconceivable mills.
From A History of the French Novel, Vol. 2 To the Close of the 19th Century by Saintsbury, George
Eastern, followed by ISM services for June at 10 a.m.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
Monday’s ISM report on services sector activity in June could also attract heightened interest as investors look to see whether the U.S. economy is continuing to display signs of strength.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
A closely followed ISM gauge of manufacturers dipped to 53.3% in June from 54% in the prior month, but it was still relatively robust.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
“This is the definition of inflationary pressure starting to affect us,” a senior restaurant-industry executive told ISM.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 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.
