romanticism
UK[rəʊˈmæntɪsɪzəm]US[roʊˈmæntɪsɪzəm]
n
a style and movement in art, music, and literature in the late 18th and 19th centuries, emphasizing strong feelings, imagination, and a return to nature, rather than reason, order, and intellectual ideas.
n
the quality or state of being romantic, especially in an idealized or unrealistic way.
Morpheme Breakdown
romantic
ism
romantic
pertaining to romance
ism
doctrine, movement
Etymology
the word 'romanticism' is built upon the adjective 'romantic', which itself traces back to the medieval latin 'romanicus', meaning 'of a romanic language'. this referred to vernacular stories of adventure and chivalry, often written in romance languages, which were distinct from scholarly latin texts. these tales were characterized by fantastical, emotional, and heroic elements, qualities that later became central to the 'romantic' sensibility. by adding the greek-derived suffix '-ism', which denotes a distinctive practice or system, the term evolved in the early 19th century to specifically name the artistic and intellectual movement that championed emotion, individualism, and the sublime power of nature as a reaction against the order and rationality of the enlightenment.
Analysis
Structure: romantic (pertaining to romance) + ism (doctrine, movement)
romantic: from latin 'romanticus' (pertaining to a romance), via old french 'romanz' (a story in the vernacular). functions as the adjectival base.
ism: from greek '-ismos', a suffix forming nouns of action, state, or doctrine. functions as a noun-forming suffix denoting a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy.
Examples
the poetry of william wordsworth is a cornerstone of english romanticism.
his romanticism led him to view the business venture through a dangerously idealized lens.
the composer's later works show a clear shift from classical restraint to passionate romanticism.