Latinism

[lat-n-iz-uhm]

noun

1. a mode of expression derived from or imitative of Latin.

Latinism

/ ˈlætɪˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. a word, idiom, or phrase borrowed from Latin

Other Word Forms

• anti-Latinism noun
• pro-Latinism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Latinism¹

From the Medieval Latin word latīnismus, dating back to 1560–70. See Latin, -ism

Example Sentences

Plants and animals already had names in indigenous languages, and Linnaeus, in a show of imperialism, renamed them with his Latinisms.

From New York Times

His style, modelled on that of Thucydides and unreservedly praised by Photius, is on the whole pure, though somewhat rhetorical and showing a fondness for Latinisms.

From Project Gutenberg

Only in Africa did “Latinism” fail to take root permanently.

From Project Gutenberg

This latter critic published his animadversions on the pedantic writings of Hamon L’Estrange, who had opened on us a floodgate of Latinisms.

From Project Gutenberg

All these archaisms, neologisms, Latinisms, compound words, and dialectic and technical expressions, Malherbe set about to eradicate from the French language.

From Project Gutenberg