academicism

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UK/ˌæk.əˈdɛm.əˌsɪz.m̩/

noun

The doctrines of Plato's academy; specifically the skeptical doctrines of the later academy stating that nothing can be known; a tenet of the Academic philosophy; state of being Academic.

Similar
scholasticismacademismacademic art
OriginEnglish academic ← French académique ← Latin acadēmicu →
First used First attested in the early 17th century.Scrabble 20
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Meanings

academicism1

nounacademicism (countable and uncountable, plural academicisms)

plural academicisms · alternative Academicism · alternative academism

  1. capitalizedcountablesometimesuncountableclassical studiesThe doctrines of Plato's academy; specifically the skeptical doctrines of the later academy stating that nothing can be known; a tenet of the Academic philosophy; state of being Academic.First known use First attested in the early 17th century.
  2. countableuncountableartTraditional or orthodox formalism; conventionalism.
  3. countableuncountableSpeculative thoughts and attitudes.
  4. countableuncountableA mannerism or mode peculiar to an academy.

Academicism2

nounAcademicism (plural Academicisms)

plural Academicisms · alternative academicism · alternative academism

  1. capitalizedsometimesclassical studiesThe doctrines of Plato's academy; specifically the skeptical doctrines of the later academy stating that nothing can be known; a tenet of the Academic philosophy; state of being Academic.First known use First attested in the early 17th century.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounorthodoxy of a scholastic variety

Similar
scholasticismacademism
Broader
traditionalismtraditionality

nouna style of painting and sculpture produced under the influence of European academies of art.

Similar
academic artacademism
Broader
artistic styleidiom
Also see
academic artacademismscholasticism

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

academicism · noun

  1. Ancient GreekἈκάδημος (Akádēmos)
  2. Ancient GreekἈκαδημία (Akadēmía)
  3. Ancient GreekἈκάδημος (Akádēmos)
  4. Ancient GreekἈκαδήμεια (Akadḗmeia)
  5. Ancient Greekἀκαδημικός (akadēmikós)
  6. Medieval Latinacadēmicus
  7. Latinacadēmicu
  8. Frenchacadémique
  9. Englishacademic
  10. Englishacademicism

From academic + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →

Academicism · noun

  1. Ancient GreekἈκάδημος (Akádēmos)
  2. Ancient GreekἈκαδημία (Akadēmía)
  3. Ancient GreekἈκάδημος (Akádēmos)
  4. Ancient GreekἈκαδήμεια (Akadḗmeia)
  5. Ancient Greekἀκαδημικός (akadēmikós)
  6. Medieval Latinacadēmicus
  7. Latinacadēmicu
  8. Frenchacadémique
  9. Englishacademic
  10. EnglishAcademicism

From academic + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan academicisme, academicisme
  • academicismeA tenet of the Academic philosophy.
  • academicismeart: traditional or orthodox formalism.
  • academicismeA mannerism or mode peculiar to an academy.
Finnish akateemisuus, akateemisuus
  • akateemisuusA tenet of the Academic philosophy.
  • akateemisuusart: traditional or orthodox formalism.
  • akateemisuusA mannerism or mode peculiar to an academy.
French académisme, académisme
  • académismeA tenet of the Academic philosophy.
  • académismeart: traditional or orthodox formalism.
  • académismeA mannerism or mode peculiar to an academy.
German Akademismus
  • Akademismusart: traditional or orthodox formalism.
Greek ακαδημαϊσμός
  • ακαδημαϊσμός (akadimaïsmós)art: traditional or orthodox formalism.
Latvian akadēmisms, akadēmisms
  • akadēmismsart: traditional or orthodox formalism.
  • akadēmismsA mannerism or mode peculiar to an academy.
Polish akademizm
  • akademizmart: traditional or orthodox formalism.
Portuguese academismo, academicismo
  • academismoart: traditional or orthodox formalism.
  • academicismoart: traditional or orthodox formalism.
Romanian academism, academism
  • academismA tenet of the Academic philosophy.
  • academismA mannerism or mode peculiar to an academy.
Cite this entry
APA

academicism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/academicism

MLA

“academicism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/academicism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “academicism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/academicism.

Source: academicism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.