behavior

See also attitudes; moods; psychology.

aberrance, aberrancy

the condition or state of being deviant or aberrant.

abnormalism

1. having a tendency towards, or being in a state of abnormality.

2. something that is abnormal.

abnormalist

a person who is characterized as being in some way abnormal.

adventurism

impulsive, rash, or irresponsible actions or attitudes, especially in the sphere of public life. —adventurist, n. —adventuristic, adj.

alarmism

the attitudes and behavior of one who exaggerates dangers or always expects disaster. —alarmist, n.

alogy

Obsolete, illogicality, unreasonableness. —alogic, alogical, adj.

amazonism

the taking on of masculine habits and occupations by women.

Arcadianism

the dress and conduct suitable to a pastoral existence, usually with reference to the idealized description of pastoral life in literature. —Arcadian, n., adj.

arrivism

1. the state of having recently achieved wealth or position, especially by unscrupulous or unethical means.

2. behavior typical of arrivism. —arriviste, n., adj.

asceticism

a severe self-deprivation for ethical, religious, or intellectual ends. —ascetic, n., adj.

atrabilarian

1. a sad and gloomy individual.

2. an irritable and bad-tempered person. —atrabilious, adj.

attitudinarianism

the practice of striking poses, either to mask or to express personal feelings. —attitudinarian, n.

attorneyism

the characteristics attributed to attorneys; slyness; unscrupulousness.

automatism

an automatic or involuntary action. —automatist, n.

autophoby

Rare. an abnormal fear of being egotistical, of referring to oneself.

babuism, babooism

Derogatory. the practices of Hindus who had only a slight English education. From bābū, a Hindi title equivalent to Sir or Mr.

Barnumism

showmanship or any activity taking advantage of people’s credulity or desire for sensational entertainment, as practiced by P.T. Barnum (1810-91).

bashawism

the characteristics of a bashaw, especially tyranny and imperiousness.

beatnikism

attitudes or behavior typical of a beatnik or one who has rejected conventions of society.

bestiality

a debased brutality, the opposite of humane activity: “I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.” (Othello). See also sex.

bizarrerie

strangeness or grotesqueness, especially strange or unconventional behavior.

blackguardism

behavior typical of a blackguard, characterized by use of obscene language and by roguish actions. —blackguardery, n. —blackguardly, adj.

bohemianism

the practice of individualistic, unconventional, and relaxed conduct, of ten in an artistic context, expressing disregard for or opposition to ordinary conventions. —bohemian, n., adj.

boobyism

conduct characteristic of a stupid person or clown. —boobyish, adj.

braggartism

a braggart’s usual activity; bragging. —braggartist, braggart, n.

brutalitarianism

the practice of advocating or engaging in brutality. —brutalitarian, adj.

brutism

the set of attributes that characterize a brute. —brutish, adj.

bullyism

the actions of a bully.

careerism

the characteristics associated with one who advances his career even at the expense of his pride and dignity. —careerist, n.

ceremonialism

an addiction to ceremonies or ritualism, especially in social and other nonreligious contexts. —ceremonialist, n.

characterology

the study of character, especially its development and its variations. —characterologist, n. —characterologic, characterological, adj.

charlatanism

the quality of having characteristics of a fraud. —charlatanic, adj.

consuetude

a habit or custom; usual behavior.

coxcombry

foolish conceit or vanity; behavior typical of a coxcomb.

daredevilism

reckless or foolhardy behavior. Also called daredeviltry. —daredevil, n.

debacchation

Obsolete, raving or maniacal behavior, as that of a bacchanal.

decorum

proper behavior; action that is seemly and in good taste. —decorous, adj.

die-hardism

the attitudes or behavior of one who stubbornly holds on to something, as an outdated view, untenable position, etc. —die-hard, n., adj.

dilettantism

an admiration of or interest in the arts, often used pejoratively to designate a shallow, undisciplined, or frivolous attraction. —dilettante, n., adj. —dilettantish, adj.

donkeyism

1. an action characterized as being donkeylike; foolishness.

2. the characteristic of being like a donkey. —donkeyish, adj.

do-nothingism

idleness or indolence as a habit or regular practice.

dowdyism

the habit of being shabbily dressed. —dowdyish, adj.

dramaticism

the habit of performing actions in a histrionic manner.

ergoism

a pedantic adherence to logically constructed rules.

erraticism

an action or behavior that deviates from the norm; unpredictability in behavior.

exhibitionism

1. a deliberately conspicuous or exaggerated mode of behavior, intended to gain attention.

2. the abnormal practice of indecent exposure. —exhibitionist, n. —exhibitionistic, adj.

faineance, faineancy

laziness; the state of being idle. —faineant, adj.

fairyism

the quality of being a fairy or having fairylike characteristics.

fanfaronade

swaggering boastfulness; vainglorious speech or behavior. —fanfaron, n.

faustianism

spiritual or intellectual dissatisfaction combined with a desire for power or material advantage. After Johann Faust (c.1480-c.1538), German scholar portrayed by Marlowe and Goethe. —faustian, adj.

fiendism

Rare. evil attitudes and actions.

flunkyism

1. the quality or state of being a servant or toady.

2. behavior typical of flunkyism. —flunky, flunkey, n.

formularism

the condition of adhering solely to set formulas. —formularistic, adj.

fossilism

behavior typical of an earlier time; old-fashioned or stuffy attitudes; fogyism.

fraternalism

the condition of having brotherly qualities. —fraternalist, n. —fraternalistic, adj.

functionarism

the administrative duties of officials. —functionary, n., adj.

gangsterism

the habit of using organized violence to achieve one’s ends. —gangster, n.

gasconism

boastful or bragging behavior. Also gasconadc.

gelastic

1. inclined to laughter.

2. laugh-provoking in conduct or speech.

gnathonism

the extremely obsequious behavior of a sycophant. —gnathonic, adj.

gourmandism, gormandism

1. a strong penchant for good food; gourmetism; epicurism.

2. gluttony. —gourmand, gormand, n., adj.

grandeeism

attitudes and actions modeled on the grandees, Iberian nobles of the highest rank.

gypsyism, gipsyism

the activities and style of living attributed to gypsies. —gypsy, gipsy, n. —gypsyish, gipsyish, adj.

harlequinade

a performance involving Harlequin or other characters of the Commedia dell’Arte; hence, buffoonery or clownish behavior. Also harlequinery.

hermitism

the practice of retiring from society and living in solitude, based upon a variety of motives, including religious. Also called hermitry, hermitship. —hermitic, hermitical, adj.

histriconism

histrionicism.

histrionicism

a tendency to theatrical or exaggerated action. Also histriconism. —histrionics, n. —histrionic, adj.

hoboism

the state of being a hobo or vagrant.

holidayism

a dedication to taking holidays.

hooliganism

lawless behavior or conduct typical of a hooligan.

horsyism, horseyism

looking or acting in some way like a horse. —horsy, horsey, adj. —horsily, adv.

Hottentotism

any behavior attributed to the Hottentots, in particular, a kind of stammering or stuttering.

hoydenism

ill-bred, boisterous, or tomboyish behavior in a woman. —hoyden, n. , —hoydenish, adj.

humbuggery

1. pretentious behavior or attitudes.

2. imposing or deceptive behavior. —humbug, humbugger, n.

humoralism, humouralism

an obsolete physiological explanation of health, disease, and behavior, asserting that the relative proportions of four elemental bodily fluids or humors (blood-sanguinity, phlegm-sluggishness, black bile-melancholy, and yellow bile-choler) determined a person’s physical and mental constitution. —humoral, humoural, adj.

hyphenism

division of patriotic loyalties, ascribed by some to foreign-born citizens in the United States.

idiocrasy

an idiosyncrasy or personal mannerism or peculiarity.

idiosyncrasy

a mannerism, action, or form of behavior peculiar to one person or group. —idiosyncratic, idiosyncratical, adj.

impudicity

lack of shame or modesty.

indecorum

1. indecorous, improper, or unseemly behavior.

2. an indecorous thing or action.

Indianism

the customs or traditions of Indians, especially American Indians. —Indianist, n.

insurrectionism

the quality of revolting against established authority. —insurrectionist, n., adj. —insurrectionary, adj.

irascibility

a tendency to irritability and sudden fits of anger. Also called irascibleness. —irascible, adj.

Johnsonianism

the quality of having traits or characteristics like those of Samuel Johnson. —Johnsonian, n., adj.

juvenility

Often pejorative. a mode of action or thought characterized by apparent youthfulness. —juvenile, n., adj.

landlordism

the actions and characteristics of a landlord. —landlordly, adj.

larkinism

frolicsomeness.

larrikinism

the state of being noisy, rowdy, or disorderly. —larrikin, adj., n.

libertinism

a tendency to unrestrained, often licentious or dissolute conduct. Also libertinage. —libertine, n., adj.

lionism

the pursuit or adulation of celebrities. —lionize, v.

litigiousness

1. an inclination to dispute or disagree with others, esp. through civil suits.

2. argumentativeness. —litigious, adj.

Londonism

the customs and characteristics of London and of those who reside there. —Londonish, adj.

macaronism, maccaronism

a tendency to foppishness. —macaroni, maccaroni, n.

maenadism

behavior characteristic of a maenad or bacchante; raging or wild behavior in a woman. —maenadic, adj.

maidism

1. the state or quality of being a maid, a young or unmarried woman.

2. behavior or attitude typical of maidism.

mannerism

a style of action, bearing, thought, or speech peculiar to an individual or a special group. See also art. —mannerist, n. —manneristic, adj.

martinetism

an emphasis on scrupulous attention to the details of methods and procedures in all areas of life. —martinet, n. —martinetish, adj.

maudlinism

Rare.

1. a tendency in temperament to be mawkishly sentimental and tearfully emotional.

2. a degree of drunkenness characterized by mawkish emotionalism. —maudlin, adj.

melodramatics

behavior typical of that portrayed in a melodrama, i.e., characterized by extremes of emotion.

mercuriality

1. the state or quality of having a lively, fickle, volatile, or erratic attitude or charaeter.

2. an instance of such behavior. —mercurial, adj.

milksopism

1. the state or quality of being a weak and ineffectual person.

2. behavior or attitudes typical of a such a person.

mimicism

an intense (and sometimes injurious) tendency to mimicry.

mountebankism

boastful and pretentious behavior; quackery or any actions typical of a mountebank. Also mountebankery.

muckerism

behavior characteristic of a boorish person.

mutualism

the principle or practice of mutual dependence as the condition of individual and social welfare. —mutualist, n.

namby-pambyism

weak or insipid behavior or attitude. —namby-pamby, n., adj.

Negroism

a quality or trait distinctive of Negroes.

ninnyism

conduct characteristic of a ninny, or silly fool. —ninnyish, adj.

nomadism

a rootless, nondomestic, and roving lifestyle. —nomadic, adj.

nudism

the practice of going nude. —nudist, n., adj.

Occidentalism

the characteristics and customs of people situated in western regions, especially the Western Hemisphere, as western European countries and the United States. —Occidentalist, n.

ogreism

the condition of resembling an ogre in actions and characteristics. —ogreish, adj.

opportunism

the conscious policy and practice of taking selfish advantage of circumstances, with little regard for principles. —opportunist, n. —opportunistic, adj.

Orientalism

the habits, qualities, and customs of Oriental peoples. —Orientalist, Orientality, n.

parrotism

mindless imitation. Also called parrotry.

particularism

the adherence to an exclusive subject, interest, or topic. —particularist, n. —particularistic, adj.

parvenuism

1. behavior or attitudes typical of one who has recently acquired wealth or social position.

2. the state or quality of being a parvenu or upstart. —parvenu, n., adj.

patricianism

1. the state of being a member of one of the original citizen families of ancient Rome.

2. the state of being noble or high born. —patriciate, n.

plebeianism

the quality of having common manners, character, or style. —plebeian, n., adj.

pococurantism

a tendency to conduct expressing indifference, nonchalance, or lack of concern. —pococurante, pococurantist, n. —pococurante, adj.

poltroonism

the characteristics associated with being a coward or wretch. Also called poltroonery. —poltroonish, adj.

polypragmatism

a penchant for meddlesomeness and officiousness. Also polypragmacy, polypragmaty. —polypragmatist, n. —polypragmatic, adj.

pornerast

one whose conduct is unchaste, licentious, or lewd.

praxeology

the study of human behavior and conduct. —praxeological, adj.

preciosity

excessive fastidiousness or over-refinement in language or behavior.

precipitancy

hasty or rash action, behavior, etc.; undue or ill-considered haste. —precipitant, adj.

priggism

the strict adherence to correctness of behavior. —prigger, n. —priggish, adj.

profligacy

1. dissolute or immoral behavior.

2. reckless and extravagant spending or behavior. —profligate, adj.

protagonism

the actions and qualities of a protagonist. —protagonist, n.

protervity

a tendency to peevish, petulant, or insolent conduct.

psychagogics, psychagogy

a method of affecting behavior by assisting in the choice of desirable life goals. —psychagogue, n.

puppyism

affected or impertinent behavior; conceit.

quixotism

a tendency to absurdly chivalric, visionary, or romantically impractical conduct. —quixotic, quixotical, adj.

rabulism

Rare. a tendency to railing and quibbling. —rabulistic, rabulous, adj.

reactionism

the condition of being reactionary or resistant to change. —reactionist, n., adj.

reporterism

the characteristics of a reporter.

reunionism

the qualities of a reunion or social gathering. —reunionist, n.

revolutionism

the state of being revolutionary. —revolutionary, revolutionist, n. —revolutional, revolutionary, adj.

routinism

the excessive adherence to a routine. —routinist, n.

rowdyism

noisy, quarrelsome, or disorderly conduct or behavior. —rowdy, n., adj.

ruffianism

behavior typical or characteristic of a brutal and violent person. —ruffian, n.

Satanism

diabolical behavior. —Satanist, n.

savagism

the condition of having uncivilized or primitive qualities. —savagedom, n.

schoolboyism

the practices characteristic of a schoolboy. —schoolboyish, adj.

scoundrelism

the characteristics and behavior of a scoundrel. —scoundrelly, adj.

seclusionist

a person who seeks solitude or removes himself from the society of others; a recluse.

sensorialism

the quality of having sensation. —sensorial. adj.

seraphism

Archaic. an ecstatic devotion, especially religious.

sermonist

1. a person who delivers sermons.

2. a person who adopts a preaching attitude.

Shandyism

a tendency to whimsical conduct in accord with absurd theories from past ages. [Allusion to the actions of Walter, father of the hero in Sterne’s Tristram Shandy.]

spasmodism

a tendency to conduct marked by outbursts of strong emotion. —spasmodist, n. —spasmodic, spasmodical, adj.

Sundayism

activity characteristic of the observance of Sunday as a holy day.

supermanism

the condition of having qualities or traits like those of a superman. —supermanly, adj.

sybaritism

a love of luxury. [Allusion to Sybaris, a Greek colony in Italy not-ed for its luxury.] —sybarite, n. —sybaritic, adj.

sycophantism

the practice of self-serving or servile flattery. Also called sycophancy. —sycophant, n. —sycophantic, adj.

sympathism

the condition of having coinciding emotions in two or more people.

tantalism

Obsolete. a form of teasing or harassment in which a hope of some good or benefit is instilled in the victim, only to be repeatedly dashed and the reward shown to be unattainable.

tartufflsm

hypocrisy. [Allusion to Molière’s hypocritical hero, Tartuffe.] Also called tartuffery.

theatricalism

a tendency to actions marked by exaggerations in speech or behavior. Also called theatricism.

tidyism

the habit of extreme neatness.

Timonism

a personal despair leading to misanthropy. [Allusion to Shake-speare’s Timon of Athens.]

toadyism

a fawning flattery, obsequiousness, or sycophancy. —toady, n. —toadyish, adj,

tokenism

formal or superficial compliance with a law, requirement, convention, etc.

tomboyism

the conduct characteristic of a tomboy, a boyish girl. —tomboyish, adj.

Turkism

Obsolete, the attitudes and actions of the Turks.

ultracrepidarianism

the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge or competence. —ultracrepidarian, n., adj.

vagabondism

1. the tendency to wander from place to place without a settled home; nomadism.

2. the life of a tramp; vagrancy. Also called vagabondage. —vagabond, n., adj.

vandalism

the malicious destruction or defamation of public or private property. —vandal, vandalization, n. —vandalish, adj.

vanguardism

the actions or thoughts of members of a vanguard, those at the forefront of a movement, fad, etc. —vanguardist, n.

Victorianism

the affection for or emulation of Victorian tastes or thoughts.

Vikingism

the actions characteristic of a Viking, i.e., savagery, rapaciousness, etc.

voyeurism

the compulsion to seek sexual gratification by secretively looking at sexual objects or acts; the actions of a Peeping Tom. —voyeur, n. —voyeuristic, adj.

vulpinism

Rare. the state or quality of being foxlike, especially crafty or cunning. —vulpine, adj.

vulturism

behavior or character typical of a vulture, especially in the figurative sense of being rapacious. —vulturous, adj.

werewolfism

the quality of having the traits of a werewolf.

Yahooism

a penchant for rowdyism. [Allusion to Swift’s characters in Gulliver’s Travels.]

yokelism

1. the state or quality of being a yokel or country bumpkin.

2. behavior, language, etc, typical of a yokel.

zanyism

the style of a zany or buffoon.

zealotry

a tendency to undue or excessive zeal; fanaticism.

zelotypia

Obsolete.

1. abnormal zeal.

2. morbid jealousy. —zelotypic, adj.