the introduction or use of new words or new senses of existing words.
a new doctrine, especially a new interpretation of sacred writings.
Psychiatry. a new word, often consisting of a combination of other words, that is understood only by the speaker: occurring most often in the speech of schizophrenics.
Origin of neologism
From the French word néologisme, dating back to 1790–1800. See neology, -ism
Related formsne·ol·o·gist, nounne·ol·o·gis·tic, ne·ol·o·gis·ti·cal, adjective
"practice of innovation in language," 1776, from French néologisme, from neo- (see neo-) + Greek logos "word" (see lecture (n.)). Meaning "new word or expression" is from 1803. Neological is attested from 1754.
