careerism
UK[kəˈrɪərɪzəm]US[kəˈrɪrɪzəm]
n
the practice of advancing one's career as a primary goal in life, often at the expense of personal integrity or ethical considerations.
n
the tendency to be excessively or selfishly ambitious in pursuing professional advancement.
Morpheme Breakdown
career
ism
career
professional life
ism
doctrine or practice
Etymology
the word 'careerism' is a modern english formation, emerging in the late 19th century. it is built upon the noun 'career', which evolved from its original sense of a "road or course for racing" to metaphorically signify one's professional or public course through life. the suffix '-ism', a prolific formative in english, was appended to indicate a distinctive practice or ideology. thus, the literal combination of "course/path" and "practice/doctrine" yields the abstract concept of a single-minded, often self-serving, pursuit of professional advancement, reflecting a societal critique of prioritizing career trajectory over other values.
Analysis
Structure: career (professional life) + ism (doctrine or practice)
career (from french 'carrière', ultimately from late latin 'carraria' meaning "road for vehicles," from latin 'carrus' meaning "wheeled vehicle") functions as the base noun. ism (from greek '-ismos', a suffix forming nouns of action or practice) functions as a suffix denoting a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy.
Examples
his blatant careerism, evident in his constant networking and self-promotion, alienated some of his more idealistic colleagues.
the article criticized the culture of careerism in modern politics, where long-term public service is often sacrificed for short-term electoral gains.
she rejected the careerism of the corporate world, choosing instead a vocation focused on community service.