- the action or principle of asserting one's independence and individuality; egoism
- an individual quirk or peculiarity
- another word for laissez faire
- the doctrine that only individual things exist and that therefore classes or properties have no reality
Compare Platonism, realism
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•di•vid•u•al•ism /ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒuəˌlɪzəm/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
in•di•vid•u•al•is•tic, adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Sociologya social theory calling for the liberty of the individual.
- the principle or habit of independent thought or action.
in•di•vid•u•al•is•tic, adj.
in•di•vid•u•al•ism
(in′də vij′o̅o̅ ə liz′əm),USA pronunciation n.
- Sociologya social theory advocating the liberty, rights, or independent action of the individual.
- the principle or habit of or belief in independent thought or action.
- the pursuit of individual rather than common or collective interests;
egoism. - individual character;
individuality. - an individual peculiarity.
- Philosophy
- the doctrine that only individual things are real.
- the doctrine or belief that all actions are determined by, or at least take place for, the benefit of the individual, not of society as a whole.
- individual + -ism 1825–35
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
individualism /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəˌlɪzəm/ n
'individualism' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):