conventionalism
UK[kənˈvɛnʃ(ə)nəˌlɪz(ə)m]US[kənˈvɛnʃ(ə)nəˌlɪzəm]
n
Adherence to or reliance on accepted customs and traditions, especially in artistic or philosophical matters.
n
A philosophy that views fundamental principles as based on human agreement or convention rather than objective reality.
Morpheme Breakdown
convention
al
ism
convention
agreement
al
adjective suffix
ism
doctrine or practice
Etymology
The word 'conventionalism' is built upon the Latin root 'convenire', meaning "to come together" or "to agree". This root gave rise to 'conventio', signifying a formal assembly or agreement, which evolved into the English 'convention' denoting a widely accepted custom or practice. The addition of the adjectival suffix '-al' creates 'conventional', describing something based on or conforming to such conventions. Finally, the abstract noun-forming suffix '-ism' is appended, transforming the concept into a formal doctrine or principled adherence. Thus, the term's literal journey—from the act of gathering and agreeing, to established custom, to the philosophy of prioritizing those customs—perfectly encapsulates its modern meaning of valuing social agreement over inherent truth.
Analysis
Structure: convention (agreement) + al (adjective suffix) + ism (doctrine or practice)
- convention: From Latin 'conventio' (a meeting, agreement), from 'convenire' (to come together, agree). Functions as the core noun root.
- al: A Latin-derived suffix forming adjectives meaning "of or pertaining to".
- ism: A suffix of Greek origin, via Latin and French, forming nouns denoting a distinctive system, theory, or practice.
Examples
His painting style was a reaction against the rigid conventionalism of the academy.
In moral philosophy, conventionalism argues that ethical rules are created by society, not discovered in nature.
The playwright was criticized for her conventionalism, as her plots never challenged societal norms.