Westernises

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To adopt or implement cultural traits, practices, or values of the West in a society
2. The process of transforming a culture or society by incorporating elements common to Western civilization
3. A transformation whereby non-Western societies begin to mirror Western ways of life, beliefs, and customs

Etymology: This is an inflected form: "westernises" is the third-person singular present of "westernise", so the real work is in the verb. "Westernise" is simply "western" with the verb-forming suffix "-ise", which is the English form of a suffix that passed through Middle English, Middle French and Late Latin before reaching back to Ancient Greek, where "-izein" built verbs meaning "to make into, to act like". Its English spelling, with "s" in place of "z", is the British convention. The base word "western" is itself an English formation from "west", so the chain is English all the way down, with the suffix doing the transforming. Each "-ise" verb pattern follows the same logic: "modernise" makes something modern, "westernise" makes something Western. The word's meaning is therefore literal in its construction: to render something in the manner of the West.

Synonyms: modernizes, civilizes

Antonyms: dewesternizes, anti-westernizes