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extremism

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Etymology and origin of the English word extremism

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1849 Pennsylvania Republican
Ultimate origin
Latin exterus
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
English extreme
English extremism
From the same root
English extremist ← extreme

Pronunciation

  • UK: /ɪkˈstɹiː.mɪ.zəm/, /ɛkˈstɹiː.mɪ.zəm/[1]
  • US: /ɪkˈstɹi.mɪ.zəm/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from English extreme + -ism,[2][3][4][5] after the earlier extremist;[2] the OED compares French extrémisme, recorded only from 1918.[2] extreme is from Old French extreme, from Latin extrēmus (“outermost, utmost, last”), the superlative of exterus (“outward”), the source of exterior.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A tendency to be extreme, especially in political or religious views: 1849, in the Pennsylvania Republican.[2] Etymonline dates the word to 1848, as "a disposition to go to extremes in doctrine or practice",[3] while Merriam-Webster gives 1865[6] and Dictionary.com 1860–65.[4]

Semantic evolution

The word first named a general tendency to go to extremes;[2][3][5] the Shorter Oxford dates the sense "the views or actions of extremists" to the early 20th century.[5] In current use it refers chiefly to extreme political or religious views, or to the support of illegal or violent measures;[2][7] Merriam-Webster equates it with radicalism.[6] Etymonline quotes Barry Goldwater's acceptance speech as Republican presidential candidate: "extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice".[3]

Timeline

  • 1849 – a tendency to be extreme, especially in political or religious views.[2]
  • early 20th century – the views or actions of extremists.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The holding of extreme political or religious views, or support for illegal or violent measures to advance them; fanaticism or radicalism: a rise in political extremism.[7][2][6]
  2. The quality or state of being extreme.[6][5]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
  5. ^ a b c d e Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  7. ^ a b Stevenson, Angus, ed. (2010), Oxford Dictionary of English, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Extremism.” Etymologically, 31 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/extremism. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·