-ismo

Forms

-ismo m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ismi)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned suffix: DELI gives it as borrowed from Latin -īsmus, from Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós).^[2][3][4] Nocentini and Devoto–Oli derive it directly from the Greek suffix, and Zingarelli says Ecclesiastical Latin took it up from Greek before it spread to many new formations.^[5][6][7] Wiktionary instead treats it as inherited from Latin.^[1] The Greek suffix formed abstract nouns of practice or doctrine and grew up beside the verbs in -ίζω (-ízō).^[2][1]

Latin had about a hundred words in ⟨-ismus⟩ and -ista, about 45 and 55 of them respectively, and Late and Medieval Latin more than doubled the number, with some ninety new words in ⟨-ista⟩ and twenty in ⟨-ismus⟩.^[2] Sabatini–Coletti says the suffix spread above all in the age of Humanism.^[8] The suffix is the learned form beside -esimo, from the same Latin ending, and some words have both, such as umanesimo and umanismo or toscanesimo and toscanismo.^[8][3][7] DELI derives cristianesimo from Late Latin christianismus, with an ⟨i⟩ inserted in the cluster ⟨sm⟩, as in spasimo.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Abstract nouns in -ismo became common in the 17th century (eroismo, nepotismo, quietismo), and in the 18th century the formations in -ismo, -ista and -izzare multiplied, some modelled on words already coined in other European languages and some made independently: dispotismo, moderantismo, neologismo, purismo.^[2] In the 19th century -ismo and -ista were the most productive suffixes, and -ismo was used above all for doctrines, movements and tendencies: verismo, futurismo, occultismo.^[2] Most of these are international words, coined now abroad and now in Italy, but a group of names of sports came from French: velocipedismo (later ciclismo), automobilismo.^[2]

D'Annunzio wrote ironically in a letter of 11 March 1881 that a title needed “a dozen isms at least”, and Luigi Capuana devoted a small book to Gli ismi contemporanei (1898).^[2] The suffix grew still more productive in the 20th century, as in the other European languages, with recurring purist reactions against it.^[2] Today it is very common in the language of politics and journalism, and it is added even to personal names and phrases.^[8][6][3]

Timeline

• 1881 – D'Annunzio jokes in a letter about titles full of “isms”.^[2]
• 1898 – Luigi Capuana publishes Gli ismi contemporanei.^[2]
• 1898 – The noun ismo is first recorded.^[9]
• 1905 – Panzini's dictionary describes -ismo as the ending of a great many abstract words implying something absolute or excessive.^[2]

Meanings

Suffix

1. Forms abstract nouns naming religious, political, philosophical or artistic doctrines and movements: socialismo, realismo, cubismo, futurismo.^{[5][6][8][7][10]}
2. Forms nouns naming attitudes and kinds of behaviour, individual or collective: attendismo, buonismo, disfattismo, ottimismo.^{[5][6][7][10]}
3. Forms nouns naming physical or moral qualities and conditions, often defects or harmful habits: alcolismo, egoismo, strabismo.^{[5][6][7][10]}
4. With a concrete sense, names features of a language or style: arcaismo, grecismo, latinismo, petrarchismo.^[5][6][10]
5. Names systems, devices and structures: meccanismo, organismo, magnetismo.^[5][6][7]
6. Names sports and similar activities: alpinismo, ciclismo, automobilismo.^[5][8][7]

Word family

• ismo
• realismo
• socialismo
• egoismo
• meccanismo
• alpinismo
• neologismo

Related words

• -ista
• -esimo
• -izzare
• Latin -ismus
• Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)

Usage notes

The suffix gave the noun ismo (1898), a word formed with -ismo, and also a cultural or artistic movement regarded as an abstract or passing fashion.^[9] In a few words -esimo takes its place, as in cristianesimo and urbanesimo.^[11][7]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
3. ^ a b c De Mauro, Tullio, Il Nuovo De Mauro, online ed., dizionario.internazionale.it
4. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
5. ^ a b c d e f g Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
6. ^ a b c d e f g Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
8. ^ a b c d e Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
9. ^ a b De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
10. ^ a b c d Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
11. ^ Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana