ideology

[ ahy-dee-ol-uh-jee, id-ee- ]
See synonyms for: ideologyideologies on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural i·de·ol·o·gies.
  1. the body of doctrine, myth, belief, etc., that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group.

  2. such a body of doctrine, myth, etc., with reference to some political and social plan, as that of fascism, along with the devices for putting it into operation.

  1. Philosophy.

    • the study of the nature and origin of ideas.

    • a system that derives ideas exclusively from sensation.

  2. theorizing of a visionary or impractical nature.

Origin of ideology

1
First recorded in 1790–1800; ideo- + -logy

Words Nearby ideology

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use ideology in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ideology

ideology

/ (ˌaɪdɪˈɒlədʒɪ) /


nounplural -gies
  1. a body of ideas that reflects the beliefs and interests of a nation, political system, etc and underlies political action

  2. philosophy sociol the set of beliefs by which a group or society orders reality so as to render it intelligible

  1. speculation that is imaginary or visionary

  2. the study of the nature and origin of ideas

Derived forms of ideology

  • ideological (ˌaɪdɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl) or ideologic, adjective
  • ideologically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for ideology

ideology

[ (eye-dee-ol-uh-jee, id-ee-ol-uh-jee) ]


A system of beliefs or theories, usually political, held by an individual or a group. Capitalism, communism, and socialism are usually called ideologies.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.