-ism
-ism
[French -isme, or Latin -ismus, Greek {not transcribed}.]
A suffix indicating an act, a process, the result of an act or a process, a state; also, a characteristic (as a theory, doctrine, idiom, etc.); as, baptism, galvanism, organism, hypnotism, socialism, sensualism, Anglicism.
Ism , noun
[See ism, above.]
A doctrine or theory; especially, a wild or visionary theory. — E. Everett
The world grew light-headed, and forth came a spawn of isms which no man can number.