Where does “formalism” come from?
Formalism derives from English formal, from Latin formalis, from Latin -alis, from Ancient Greek μορφή meaning "shape" or "form," with the suffix -μός and -ισμός added to create abstract nouns.
formalism (English): Strict adherence to a given form of conduct,...
Definitions
- Strict adherence to a given form of conduct,...
Ancestry of “formalism”, step by step
formalism traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English formal
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | formal | Being in accord with established forms; Official;... |
| 2 | Middle English | formel | — |
| 3 | Old French | formel | — |
| 4 | Latin | formālis | formal |
| 5 | French | -ïsme | -ism, variant of -isme following vowels |
| 6 | Latin | -isma | Alternative form of -ismus; -ism |
| 7 | Latin | -ismus | -ism |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | -ισμός | Forms abstract nouns |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | -μός | Forms abstract nouns |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -mós | Creates action/result nouns from verb stems |
via French formalisme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | formalisme | formalism |