Added 9 October 2026
ideology
/ˌaɪ.diːˈɒl.ə.d͡ʒiː/ noun
In Latin: ideologia Coined: 1796, by Antoine Destutt Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ideology at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- An orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation.
- Imaginary or visionary theorization.
Origin
Borrowed from French idéologie, from idéo- + -logie (equivalent to English ideo- + -logy). Cognate with, but not derived from, idea. Coined 1796 by Antoine Destutt de Tracy. Modern sense of “doctrine” attributed to use of related idéologue (“ideologue”) by Napoleon Bonaparte as a term of abuse towards political opponents in early 1800s.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)