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psittacism

American

[sit-uh-siz-uhm] / ˈsɪt əˌsɪz əm /

noun

mechanical, repetitive, and meaningless speech.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

psittacistic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of psittacism

1895–1900; < Latin psittac ( us ) parrot ( see psittacosis) + -ism

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.

It is easy to affirm this separation, thanks to the psittacism of the words, which are here used like counterfeit coin, but we cannot represent it to ourselves, for it corresponds to nothing.

From The Mind and the Brain Being the Authorised Translation of L'Âme et le Corps by Binet, Alfred

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.