MODERNISM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does modernism mean? 

• MODERNISM (noun)
  The noun MODERNISM has 3 senses:

1. genre of art and literature that makes a self-conscious break with previous genres

2. the quality of being current or of the present

3. practices typical of contemporary life or thought

  Familiarity information: MODERNISM used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MODERNISM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Genre of art and literature that makes a self-conscious break with previous genres

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("modernism" is a kind of...):

genre (a class of art (or artistic endeavor) having a characteristic form or technique)

Derivation:

modernist (an artist who makes a deliberate break with previous styles)

modernistic (relating to a recently developed fashion or style)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The quality of being current or of the present

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

contemporaneity; contemporaneousness; modernism; modernity; modernness

Context example:

a shopping mall would instill a spirit of modernity into this village

Hypernyms ("modernism" is a kind of...):

currency; currentness; up-to-dateness (the property of belonging to the present time)

Attribute:

modern (belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages)

Derivation:

modernistic (relating to a recently developed fashion or style)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Practices typical of contemporary life or thought

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("modernism" is a kind of...):

pattern; practice (a customary way of operation or behavior)

Derivation:

modernistic (relating to a recently developed fashion or style)