eclecticism

noun

eclec·​ti·​cism i-ˈklek-tə-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce eclecticism (audio)
e-
: the theory or practice of an eclectic method

Examples of eclecticism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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My journey from the town of Prospero to the high peak called the Witch’s Nose was accompanied by a generic eclecticism. Harold Goldberg, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025 Her Los Angeles home still feels modern but with a touch of eclecticism. Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025 If the American university survives the twenty-first century, that resilience will probably have to do not just with rules and standards but with a certain magic flexibility and eclecticism being upheld. Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025 Finally, reimagined codes of femininity and eclecticism were best demonstrated at Prada, Etro and Dolce & Gabbana, where unexpected pairings and silhouettes were styled in an effortlessly sophisticated way. Luisa Zargani, WWD, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for eclecticism

Word History

Etymology

eclectic entry 1 + -ism

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of eclecticism was in 1798

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Cite this Entry

“Eclecticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eclecticism. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Medical Definition

eclecticism

noun
eclec·​ti·​cism -ˈklek-tə-ˌsiz-əm How to pronounce eclecticism (audio)
1
: a theory or practice (as of medicine or psychotherapy) that combines doctrines or methods (as therapeutic procedures) from diverse sources
2
: a system of medicine once popular in the United States that depended on plant remedies

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