ism n : a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school [syn: doctrine, philosophy, philosophical system, school of thought]

English

Noun

1. A belief that can be described by a word ending in -ism.
   • 1965, Bertram David Wolfe, Marxism, One Hundred Years in the Life of a Doctrine, p. 357,

     An ism does not have to possess the fearful implements of state power to cut off a a deviant or heretical member.

   • 1969, Walter E. Minchinton, Mercantilism; System Or Expediency?, p. xi,

     In his exposition, he has failed to achieve the identification of situation, theory, and policy necessary to create an ism.

   • 1994, Kenneth Kaye, Workplace Wars and How to End Them, p. 70,

     It is important to distinguish between an ism and a mere generalization about group differences. Generalizations that have statistical validity are not isms. An ism assumes that the generalization applies to an individual.

Ism can be:

• ism (name), the Arabic word for a personal name.
• A suffix -ism
• The initials ISM
• Ism (band), a New York punk band.
• ISM_band, the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical radio band.
• ISM (formerly Irma S. Mann Strategic Marketing), a Boston marketing agency specializing in the travel industry.

• See also list of abbreviations for ISM

Weltanschauung, adherents, articles of religion, catechism, church, class, communion, confession, credenda, credo, creed, cult, cultism, denomination, disciples, doctrinal statement, faith, followers, formulated belief, gospel, ideology, mystique, order, persuasion, political faith, political philosophy, religion, school, sect, system of belief, world view