anomie

(anə mē)

or anomy

noun

lack of purpose, identity, or ethical values in a person or in a society; rootlessness

Origin: Fr < Gr anomia, lawlessness < a-, without + nomos, law: see -nomy

Related Forms:

See anomie in American Heritage Dictionary 4

or an·o·my

noun
  1. Social instability caused by erosion of standards and values.
  2. Alienation and purposelessness experienced by a person or a class as a result of a lack of standards, values, or ideals: “We must now brace ourselves for disquisitions on peer pressure, adolescent anomie and rage” (Charles Krauthammer).

Origin:

Origin: French

Origin: , from Greek anomiā, lawlessness

Origin: , from anomos, lawless

Origin: : a-, without; see a-1

Origin: + nomos, law; see nem- in Indo-European roots

.

Related Forms:

  • a·nomˈic (ə-nŏmˈĭk, ə-nōˈmĭk) adjective

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