The Suffix -ism: The Suffix -ism, Part 3

The suffix ism is added to words to mean "the process or action of" or "the system, principle, or theory of." These four lists are arranged from easiest to most challenging. Learn them all and enjoy the feeling of optimism!

Here are links to our lists in the collection: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
10 words 272 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. aphorism
    a short pithy instructive saying
    For the first time, the truth of the aphorism “clothes make the man” came home to me. Long Walk to Freedom
    Aphorismos means "definition" in Greek, so an aphorism is a short, catchy saying that's also true.
  2. plagiarism
    taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own
    If there is doubt about the submission’s authorship, admissions teams may run the essay through plagiarism software to assess if it represents original work. New York Times (Oct 14, 2020)
    In Latin a plagarius is someone who kidnaps a child, and also someone who steals another's literary work and takes credit for it.
  3. opportunism
    taking advantage of favorable circumstances selfishly
    His father encouraged his opportunism and cynicism: Do what you need to do to grab whatever you want. New York Times (Oct 24, 2020)
  4. pragmatism
    the attribute of accepting the facts of life
    Why not instead argue for policies based on realism and restraint, pragmatism and prudence? New York Times (Oct 6, 2020)
    Pragma is ancient Greek for "business or deed." So to be pragmatic is to be practical, businesslike, and effective.
  5. euphemism
    an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one
    “Interesting" was Walter's euphemism for odd people, and having worked for hundreds of people throughout the county over the years, he'd encountered no shortage of “interesting" people. Just Mercy
    Euphemismos means "to speak well" in Greek. So if you've ever said "I was a little sick to my stomach" instead of "I barfed my guts out," congratulations! You used a euphemism.
  6. polytheism
    belief in multiple gods
    Religion begins in polytheism, the belief in many gods. Stace, W. T. (Walter Terence)
    Theos means "god" in Greek. Monotheism describes a religion with one god, like Christianity, Islam, or Judaism, and polytheism means a religion with multiple deities, like Hinduism.
  7. romanticism
    an exciting and mysterious quality
    Some of the world’s best cities evoke the romanticism of travel, such as Italy’s classic crowd-pleasers, Florence and Rome. Time (Jul 10, 2015)
  8. metabolism
    the organic processes that are necessary for life
    Participants are randomized to different diets, including a Mediterranean diet and a plant-based diet, to test how each affects metabolism. Science Magazine (Jul 29, 2021)
    Metaboli means "change" in ancient Greek, and metabolism refers to the process by which living things convert their food into energy.
  9. animism
    the doctrine that all natural objects have souls
    Jeanty herself is a strong believer in animism, the concept that natural objects, phenomena, and the universe itself possess souls. Salon (Mar 9, 2013)
    Adherents of animism go beyond polytheism and believe that everything in nature has a soul or a spirit of some kind.
  10. narcissism
    an exceptional interest in and admiration for yourself
    But he also seemed to leave the door open for them to return if they abandoned plans that he said were based in “greediness, selfishness and narcissism.” New York Times (Apr 19, 2021)
    Narcissus was a figure in Greek mythology who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool, never leaving because he couldn't stop admiring himself. When he died, a flower grew in that spot, a narcissus: a type of daffodil with a head that droops downward as if looking at its reflection in the water.
Created on Thu Oct 08 12:26:58 EDT 2020 (updated Thu Apr 21 09:54:40 EDT 2022)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.