icism

-icism is a productive suffix in English, formed by joining the -ic ending of adjectives with the -ism suffix to form nouns that denote a doctrine, belief system, or artistic style. The resulting words typically name distinct traditions, movements, or theoretical frameworks and are common in academic discourse and literary criticism.

Origin and use: The -icism pattern reflects a way to name a specific tradition by appending -ism to an adjective base in -ic. It commonly yields terms such as classicism, neoclassicism, romanticism, and empiricism. In humanities and social sciences, -icism tends to signal a formal or historical movement, school of thought, or aesthetic approach rather than a casual belief. The exact nuance of -icism varies by word, but the suffix generally marks a system or style grounded in the stem adjective.

Examples and domains: Classicism and neoclassicism denote movements drawing on classical models in art, literature, and architecture. Romanticism represents a broader cultural and literary movement emphasizing emotion and individual imagination, with its name formed from the -ic + -ism pattern. Empiricism denotes a philosophical doctrine that knowledge derives from sensory experience. In each case, -icism helps foreground the organized, historical aspect of the idea or style being described.

See also: The broader -ism family includes many nouns formed without the -ic root, and -icism is one of several suffixal options for naming movements, doctrines, or styles in English.