Shakespearism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A distinctive phrase, image, or stylistic device that appears in or is typical of the works of Shakespeare
2. An expression, metaphor, or turn of language that exemplifies the unique style of Shakespeare's plays and poetry
3. A linguistic or literary feature that reflects the characteristic manner and vocabulary of Shakespeare's dramatic and poetic writing

Etymology: Shakespearism is a plain formation: the name Shakespeare with the suffix "-ism," which in English forms nouns for doctrines, practices, and characteristic features. The base adjective "Shakespearean" is itself built from the name with the suffix "-an," and "-ism" was then added to that adjective to name a distinctive quality of the playwright's language or style. The suffix has a longer ancestry than the name it attaches to. English "-ism" comes through Latin from Ancient Greek "-ismos," a noun-forming ending tied to verbs ending in "-izein," which produced many words for actions and beliefs. Latin and French then carried the form into English, where it became a productive tool for coining labels for movements, habits, and idioms. Because the playwright's name is attached to the suffix, the word is a pure coinage of modern English rather than an inherited term. It is used to describe a Shakespeare-style phrase or usage, so its meaning depends entirely on the author's influence on the language.