-ism, -ismus

1. The absence of baptism or not having the Christian sacrament that signifies spiritual cleansing and spiritual rebirth: "The fact that Gloria's son's abaptism existed when he died was of great concern to his mother."
2. A situation where there is no baptism: "The frontier area was often without a pastor and so abaptism usually existed for quite awhile."

1. A belief or system of beliefs that are accepted as authoritative by some group or school of thought: "Abolitionism was one of the driving elements behind the Civil War in the United States."
2. A social movement aimed at liquidating or getting rid of some law or an undesirable practice: "Women lead the abolitionism against the production of liquor and the operation of taverns and bars."

"Abolitionisms; such as, indentured workers or slave-working conditions are often opposed with vigor."

The support or advocacy for termination of a pregnancy: "Tonya's sister, who is a doctor, supports abortionism once the client has had a medical examination and counseling."

A fondness for collecting knickknacks or trinkets.

The habitual failure to appear or to be somewhere; especially, for work or some other regular duty: "The most common causes of absenteeisms include influenza and occupationally related skin diseases."

"The rates of absenteeism in the work force caused the factory to reduce production."

"The explanations for a number of absenteeisms varied from headaches to injuries."

Artistic content that depends more on internal form rather than pictorial representation: "The student artist was told that abstractionism was simply a representation that has no particular reference to concrete objects or specific examples."

1. The idea that the universe is without meaning or rational order and that human beings, in attempting to find a sense of order, conflict with it: "Many people who subscribed to the life style called absurdism became disillusioned by reality later in their lives."
2. An act or instance of the ridiculous: "The absurdisms which were portrayed on the stage upset the audience who expected better from the director and actors."

Artistry that relies on conventional techniques or emphasises the formal aspects of an art form; such as, painting or poetry.

Symbiosis between plants and mites.

1. Free from living germs of disease, fermentation, or putrefaction; sterile.
2. Designed to prevent infection from pathogenic microorganisms.
3. Free of pathogenic microorganisms: "They used aseptic surgical instruments."
4. Using methods to protect against infection by pathogenic microorganisms: "The doctor insisted on using aseptic surgical techniques."
5. Lacking animation or emotion: "She responded with an aseptic smile."

1. Without time; the state of timelessness; deficiency of time: "Literally, no time."
2. Lacking time in which to complete or to accomplish something: "No matter how hard he tried, there were just too many achronisms that prevented his completion of the project."

A condition due to the introduction into the body of acids from outside the body.