Dictionary
mannerism
noun man·ner·ism \ˈma-nə-ˌri-zəm\
: a person's particular way of talking or moving
Full Definition of MANNERISM
1
a : exaggerated or affected adherence to a particular style or manner : artificiality, preciosity <refined almost to the point of mannerism — Winthrop Sargeant> b often capitalized : an art style in late 16th century Europe characterized by spatial incongruity and excessive elongation of the human figures
2
: a characteristic and often unconscious mode or peculiarity of action, bearing, or treatment
— man·ner·ist \-rist\ noun or adjective
— man·ner·is·tic \ˌma-nə-ˈris-tik\ adjective
See mannerism defined for English-language learners
See mannerism defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
First Known Use of MANNERISM
1800
Related to MANNERISM
- Synonyms
- crotchet, curiosity, eccentricity, erraticism, individualism, kink, idiosyncrasy, oddity, peculiarity, quiddity, quip, quirk, singularity, tic, trick, twist
Synonym Discussion of MANNERISM
pose, air, airs, affectation, mannerism mean an adopted way of speaking or behaving. pose implies an attitude deliberately assumed in order to impress others <her shyness was just a pose>. air may suggest natural acquirement through environment or way of life <a traveler's sophisticated air>. airs always implies artificiality and pretentiousness <snobbish airs>. affectation applies to a trick of speech or behavior that strikes the observer as insincere <the posh accent is an affectation>. mannerism applies to an acquired eccentricity that has become a habit <gesturing with a cigarette was her most noticeable mannerism>.
Rhymes with MANNERISM
absurdism, activism, Adventism, alarmism, albinism, alpinism, anarchism, aneurysm, anglicism, animism, aphorism, Arabism, archaism, asterism, atavism, atheism, atomism, atticism, Bahaism, barbarism, Benthamism, biblicism, blackguardism, bolshevism, boosterism, botulism, bourbonism, Brahmanism, Briticism, Caesarism, Calvinism, can-do-ism, careerism, Castroism, cataclysm, catechism, Catharism, centralism, chauvinism, chimerism, classicism, communism, concretism, conformism, cretinism, criticism, cronyism, cynicism, dadaism, dandyism, Darwinism, defeatism, de Gaullism, despotism, die-hardism, dimorphism, Docetism, do-goodism, dogmatism, Donatism, Don Juanism, druidism, dynamism, egoism, elitism, embolism, endemism, erethism, ergotism, erotism, escapism, Essenism, etatism, eunuchism, euphemism, euphuism, exorcism, expertism, extremism, fairyism, familism, fatalism, feminism, feudalism, fideism, fogyism, foreignism, formalism, futurism, gallicism, galvanism, gangsterism, genteelism, Germanism, giantism, gigantism, globalism, gnosticism, Gongorism, Gothicism, gourmandism, gradualism, grangerism, greenbackism, Hasidism, heathenism, Hebraism, hedonism, Hellenism, herbalism, hermetism, hermitism, heroism, highbrowism, Hinduism, hipsterism, hirsutism, hispanism, Hitlerism, hoodlumism, hoodooism, hucksterism, humanism, Hussitism, hybridism, hypnotism, Ibsenism, idealism, imagism, Irishism, Islamism, Jansenism, jim crowism, jingoism, journalism, John Bullism, Judaism, Junkerism, kabbalism, kaiserism, Krishnaism, Ku Kluxism, laconism, laicism, Lamaism, Lamarckism, landlordism, Latinism, legalism, Leninism, lobbyism, localism, locoism, Lollardism, luminism, lyricism, magnetism, mammonism, Marcionism, masochism, mechanism, melanism, meliorism, Menshevism, Mendelism, mentalism, methodism, me-tooism, modernism, Mohockism, monachism, monadism, monarchism, mongolism, Montanism, moralism, Mormonism, morphinism, mullahism, mysticism, narcissism, nationalism, nativism, nepotism, neutralism, nihilism, NIMBYism, nomadism, occultism, onanism, optimism, oralism, Orangeism, organism, ostracism, pacifism, paganism, Pan-Slavism, pantheism, Parsiism, passivism, pauperism, phallicism, pianism, pietism, Platonism, pleinairism, pluralism, pointillism, populism, pragmatism, presentism, privatism, prosaism, Prussianism, puerilism, pugilism, Puseyism, Pyrrhonism, Quakerism, quietism, rabbinism, racialism, rationalism, realism, reformism, rheumatism, rigorism, robotism, Romanism, Rousseauism, rowdyism, royalism, satanism, saturnism, savagism, scapegoatism, schematism, scientism, sciolism, Scotticism, Semitism, Shakerism, Shintoism, skepticism, socialism, solecism, solipsism, Southernism, specialism, speciesism, Spartanism, Spinozism, spiritism, spoonerism, Stalinism, standpattism, stoicism, syllogism, symbolism, synchronism, syncretism, synergism, talmudism, tarantism, tectonism, tenebrism, terrorism, Teutonism, titanism, Titoism, toadyism, tokenism, Toryism, totalism, totemism, transvestism, traumatism, tribalism, tritheism, Trotskyism, ultraism, unionism, urbanism, utopism, Vaishnavism, vampirism, vandalism, vanguardism, Vedantism, veganism, verbalism, virilism, vitalism, vocalism, volcanism, voodooism, vorticism, voyeurism, vulcanism, vulgarism, Wahhabism, warlordism, welfarism, Wellerism, witticism, womanism, yahooism, Yankeeism, Yiddishism, Zionism, zombiism
MANNERISM Defined for Kids
mannerism
noun man·ner·ism \ˈma-nə-ˌri-zəm\
Definition of MANNERISM for Kids
: a habit (as of looking or moving in a certain way) that occurs commonly in a person's behavior
Medical Dictionary
mannerism
noun man·ner·ism \ˈman-ə-ˌriz-əm\
Medical Definition of MANNERISM
: a characteristic and often unconscious mode or peculiarity of action, bearing, or treatment; especially : any pointless and compulsive activity performed repeatedly
Learn More About MANNERISM
Browse
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up mannerism? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).