Where does “individualism” come from?
Individualism comes from French individualisme, formed from French individu (individual person) plus the suffix -isme, ultimately deriving from Latin individuus (indivisible) and in- (not) combined with dividuus (divisible).
individualism (English): The tendency for a person to act without...
Definitions
- The tendency for a person to act without...
Ancestry of “individualism”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | individualisme | individualism |
| 2 | French | individuel | individual |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | individualis | — |
| 4 | Latin | indīviduum | atom |
| 5 | Latin | indīviduus | not divided, indivisible |
| 6 | Latin | dīviduus | divisible |
| 7 | Latin | dīvidō | to divide, separate |
| 8 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 9 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 10 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |