What does "orphism" mean?
A religious movement in antiquity, supposed to have been founded by Orpheus.
Orphism
name
name ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A religious movement in antiquity, supposed to have been founded by Orpheus.
- Grammar: orphism is listed as name.
- Usage evidence: 1974, The Emerson Society Quarterly, Issues 74-81, Emerson Society, page 125, Thoreau's acquaintance with Orphism dated from at least as early as the summer of 1840, when he read Ralph Cudworth's True Intellectual System of the Universe and took notes on some of Cudworth's references to the Orphic religion.
How to use "orphism"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "orphism" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "orphism" in a final draft.
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Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "orphism" is acting as name in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Proper Noun
- 1 A religious movement in antiquity, supposed to have been founded by Orpheus.
"1974, The Emerson Society Quarterly, Issues 74-81, Emerson Society, page 125, Thoreau's acquaintance with Orphism dated from at least as early as the summer of 1840, when he read Ralph Cudworth's True Intellectual System of the Universe and took notes on some of Cudworth's references to the Orphic religion."
- 2 A minor Cubist art movement focusing on pure abstraction and bright colours.
"“Orphism,” he writes wearily, italicizing the word for effect, “and now we speak of Orphism. Or rather, we do not speak of it. All that we've tried to say has only clouded the question.” The same day Goth's article appeared, two separate caricatures of Orphism also showed up in the popular press—one in Le rire (figure 1.26), the other in Le journal amusant[…]"
Example
"1974, The Emerson Society Quarterly, Issues 74-81, Emerson Society, page 125, Thoreau's acquaintance with Orphism dated from at least as early as the summer of 1840, when he read Ralph Cudworth's True Intellectual System of the Universe and took notes on some of Cudworth's references to the Orphic religion."
Common questions
How do you use "orphism" in a sentence?
1974, The Emerson Society Quarterly, Issues 74-81, Emerson Society, page 125, Thoreau's acquaintance with Orphism dated from at least as early as the summer of 1840, when he read Ralph Cudworth's True Intellectual System of the Universe and took notes on some of Cudworth's references to the Orphic religion.
Etymology
From Orpheus + -ism; art sense coined by French poet Guillaume Apollinaire in 1912 as orphisme.