ism (?z??m)n. Informal A distinctive doctrine, system, or theory: “Formalism, by being an ‘ism,’ kills form by hugging it to death” (Peter Viereck).[From -ism.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.ism (??z?m) ninformal often derogatory an unspecified doctrine, system, or practiceISM abbreviation for (Astronomy) interstellar medium Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014ism (??z ?m) n. a distinctive doctrine, theory, system, or practice: capitalism, socialism, and other isms. [
ism
-ism
-ismsuff.1. Action; process; practice: terrorism.2. Characteristic behavior or quality: heroism.3. a. State; condition; quality: pauperism.b. State or condition resulting from an excess of something specified: strychninism.4. Distinctive or characteristic trait: Latinism.5. a. Doctrine; theory; system of principles: pacifism.b. An attitude of prejudice against a given group: racism.[Middle English -isme, from Old French, from Latin -ismus, from Greek -ismos, n. suff.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.-ism suffix forming nouns 1. indicating an action, process, or result: criticism; terrorism. 2. indicating a state or condition: paganism. 3. indicating a doctrine, system, or body of principles and practices: Leninism; spiritualism. 4. indicating behaviour or a characteristic quality: heroism. 5. indicating a characteristic usage, esp of a language: colloquialism; Scotticism. 6. indicating prejudice on the basis specified: sexism; ageism. [from Old French -isme, from Latin -ismus, from Greek -ismos]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014ism (??z ?m) n. a distinctive doctrine, theory, system, or practice: capitalism, socialism, and other isms. [