Ism

//ˈɪz.əm// name, noun

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Initialism of Institute for Supply Management. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

    "The ISM report came as another worrying sign following last month's surprisingly low number, which ended a 34-month growth streak."

Noun
  1. 1
    An ideology, system of thought, or practice that can be described by a word ending in -ism.

    "[…] his religion, his worship was like his daily bread to him; — which he did not take the trouble to talk much about; which he merely ate at stated intervals, and lived and did his work upon! This is Abbot Samson’s Catholicism of the Twelfth Century; — something like the Ism of all true men in all true centuries, I fancy! Alas, compared with any of the Isms current in these poor days, what a thing!"

  2. 2
    Initialism of Imperial Service Medal. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
  3. 3
    a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school wordnet
  4. 4
    An ideology, system of thought, or practice that can be described by a word ending in -ism.; A form of discrimination, such as racism or sexism.

    "Parents and educators play a critical role in helping children of all ages navigate current events and talk openly about the historical roots of the various ‘isms in our country."

  5. 5
    Abbreviation of interstellar medium. abbreviation, alt-of
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    Initialism of industrial scientific medical. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

Etymology

From the suffix -ism (“belief”), particularly (in the 19th century) in the sense of "social movement". Compare phobia, from -phobia, sophy, from -sophy, itis, from -itis, and ana, from -ana.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Want a quick game? Try Word Finder.