Classicism

noun

noun ·4 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    All the classical traditions of the art and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome, especially the aspects of simplicity, elegance and proportion. uncountable

    "It catches an American athleticism and energetic team spirit that still seem to smash European notions of ballet classicism, as does its dancers’ selfless manner and their practicelike costumes."

  2. 2
    a movement in literature and art during the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe that favored rationality and restraint and strict forms wordnet
  3. 3
    Classical scholarship. uncountable
  4. 4
    A Latin or Ancient Greek expression used in an English sentence. countable

Synonyms

All synonyms
archaismartbibliolatrychastityclarityclassicalism

Example

More examples

"It catches an American athleticism and energetic team spirit that still seem to smash European notions of ballet classicism, as does its dancers’ selfless manner and their practicelike costumes."

Etymology

From classic + -ism.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.