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regionalism

[ ree-juh-nl-iz-uhm ]
/ ˈri dʒə nlˌɪz əm /
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noun
Government. the principle or system of dividing a city, state, etc., into separate administrative regions.
advocacy of such a principle or system.
a speech form, expression, custom, or other feature peculiar to or characteristic of a particular area.
devotion to the interests of one's own region.
Literature. the theory or practice of emphasizing the regional characteristics of locale or setting, as by stressing local speech.
(often initial capital letter) a style of American painting developed chiefly 1930–40 in which subject matter was derived principally from rural areas.

VIDEO FOR REGIONALISM

How Do You Say This Word In Your Part Of The Country?

Have you ever heard a phrase said in a different part of the country, and it's said in just a slightly different way than how you say it back home? Those different phrases are called regionalisms. Do you use any in your state?

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Origin of regionalism

First recorded in 1880–85; regional + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM regionalism

re·gion·al·ist, noun, adjectivere·gion·al·is·tic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use regionalism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for regionalism

regionalism
/ (ˈriːdʒənəˌlɪzəm) /

noun
division of a country into administrative regions having partial autonomy
advocacy of such division
loyalty to one's home region; regional patriotism
the common interests of national groups, people, etc, living in the same part of the world
a word, custom, accent, or other characteristic associated with a specific region

Derived forms of regionalism

regionalist, noun, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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