nationalism
UK[ˈnæʃnəlɪzəm]US[ˈnæʃnəlɪzəm]
n
A feeling of loving your country more than any others and believing that it is better than any others.
n
The desire by a group of people who share the same race, culture, language, etc. to form an independent country.
Morpheme Breakdown
nation
al
ism
nation
people, country
al
adjective suffix
ism
doctrine, system
Etymology
The word 'nationalism' is built upon the core Latin concept of natio, which originally meant "birth" or "breed," evolving to signify a people united by common descent. The suffix -al transforms this into the adjective 'national,' meaning "pertaining to a people or country." Finally, the Greek-derived suffix -ism is appended, converting it into a noun that denotes a distinctive doctrine, practice, or system centered on the nation. Thus, the term's literal construction charts a journey from the concrete idea of a birth group to the abstract modern ideologies of national identity, superiority, or political self-determination.
Analysis
Structure: nation (people, country) + al (adjective suffix) + ism (doctrine, system)
- nation: From Latin nation-, natio (birth, breed, race, people), from natus, past participle of nasci (to be born). Functions as the core noun root.
- al: A suffix of Latin origin (-alis) used to form adjectives meaning "of or pertaining to".
- ism: A suffix of Greek origin (-ismos) used to form nouns denoting a system, principle, or ideological movement.
Examples
The rise of nationalism in the 19th century led to the unification of several European states.
His speeches were often criticized for promoting a narrow and aggressive form of nationalism.
Cultural nationalism emphasizes the preservation of a group's unique traditions and language.