Nihilism

See also: nihilism

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian нигили́зм (nigilízm).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪ.z(ə)m/, /ˈnɪ-/, /ˈniː-/, [-(h)ɨ̞-]
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈnaɪ.əˌlɪ.z(ə)m/, /ˈni.ə-/
  • Audio (General American):(file)
  • Hyphenation: Ni‧hil‧i‧sm

Proper noun

Nihilism

  1. (Russia, politics, historical) A movement of the 1860s that rejected all authority and promoted the use of violence for political change.
    • 1867, Eugene Schuyler, “Preface”, in Ivan Sergheïevitch Turgenef [i.e., Ivan Turgenev], translated by Eugene Schuyler, Fathers and Sons […], New York, N.Y.: Leypoldt and Holt, →OCLC, page vii:
      The Government took up the word, and used nihilism to stigmatize all revolutionary, and ultra democratic and socialistic tendencies; and we have seen it play its part in the recent investigations into the attempted assassination of the Emperor.

Alternative forms

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Further reading

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