Commercialisms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A range of marketing practices and philosophies that prioritize profit over artistic value
2. the influence of business interests in creative enterprises, often leading to standardization
3. the commercialization of various cultural or artistic expressions in order to enhance marketability

Etymology: Commercialism is a plain English formation: "commercial" with the suffix "-ism" attached. The adjective "commercial" comes from Latin "commercium", meaning trade or exchange, built from "com-" (together) and "merx", merchandise. That Latin root passed through Late Latin "commercialis" and French "commercial" before English took the adjective, and "-ism" (from Greek "-ismos", a suffix denoting a practice, doctrine or system) was then added to make a noun for a commercial way of doing things. The plural "commercialisms" is simply the countable form of that noun, used when speaking of individual practices or habits of thought that put commerce first. Its meaning has stayed close to its roots: a commercialism is a practice shaped by trade, and the suffix supplies the sense of a system or doctrine built on that trade.

Synonyms: advertisements, marketing, promotions, commercialization, salesmanship