classicism
noun
clas·si·cism
ˈkla-sə-ˌsi-zəm 
1
a
: the principles or style embodied in the literature, art, or architecture of ancient Greece and Rome
b
: classical scholarship
c
: a classical idiom or expression
2
: adherence to traditional standards (as of simplicity, restraint, and proportion) that are universally and enduringly valid
Examples of classicism in a Sentence
a return to classicism in modern architecture
the classicism of the building
Recent Examples on the Web
Rosso’s experiments gave courage to those who would abandon the rules of classicism, and who were ready to dissolve form.
—
Air Mail, 29 Mar. 2025
While Weimar classicism harked back to the elegance and nobility of ancient Greece, Bauhaus believed in functionalism, simplicity, mass production, and utilitarianism—the justifications for most of the horrors of modern architecture.
—Tim Bouverie, airmail.news, 7 Sep. 2024
The busy halls and cautiously optimistic mood among exhibitors and buyers alike suggested that the trade show’s roots in classicism are still appealing and allowed the showcase to reclaim its spot in the menswear conversation.
—Martino Carrera, WWD, 17 Jan. 2025
In the West, generative AI may beget even more totalitarian classicism—either of the pre-Mannerist or of the post-Mannerist ilk.
—Mario Carpo, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for classicism
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Air Mail, 29 Mar. 2025
While Weimar classicism harked back to the elegance and nobility of ancient Greece, Bauhaus believed in functionalism, simplicity, mass production, and utilitarianism—the justifications for most of the horrors of modern architecture.
—Tim Bouverie, airmail.news, 7 Sep. 2024
The busy halls and cautiously optimistic mood among exhibitors and buyers alike suggested that the trade show’s roots in classicism are still appealing and allowed the showcase to reclaim its spot in the menswear conversation.
—Martino Carrera, WWD, 17 Jan. 2025
In the West, generative AI may beget even more totalitarian classicism—either of the pre-Mannerist or of the post-Mannerist ilk.
—Mario Carpo, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for classicism
Cite this Entry
“Classicism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/classicism. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
classicism
noun
clas·si·cism
ˈklas-ə-ˌsiz-əm
1
: the principles or style of the literature, art, or architecture of ancient Greece and Rome
2
: a following of the standards of tradition (as in music or art)
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