figurativism
|fig-u-ra-tiv-ism|
🇺🇸
/ˌfɪɡjəˈreɪtɪvɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌfɪɡjʊəˈreɪtɪvɪz(ə)m/
practice of representing forms (not abstraction)
Etymology
'figurativism' originates from English, formed from the adjective 'figurative' + the suffix '-ism', where 'figurative' ultimately comes from Latin 'figurativus' (from 'figura') meaning 'form' and the suffix '-ism' (via Greek '-ismos' and Latin '-ismus') meant 'practice, system, or doctrine'.
'figurative' changed from Latin 'figura' (meaning 'form, shape') into Late Latin/Medieval Latin 'figuratus'/'figurativus', passed into Old French as 'figuratif' and then into Middle/Modern English as 'figurative'; English later formed 'figurativism' by adding the productive suffix '-ism' to denote a practice or movement.
Initially related to 'form' or 'shape' ('figurative' meant 'of or relating to form'), but over time it came to denote representation of real-world forms and, with '-ism', the current sense 'the practice or tendency of representing subjects in figurative (non-abstract) form'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the practice, tendency, or movement in visual art of representing real-world forms and figures rather than using abstract or nonrepresentational forms.
The museum's new wing emphasizes figurativism, showcasing painters who focus on the human figure and recognizable scenes.
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Noun 2
the use or preference for figurative language (metaphor, simile, etc.) rather than literal expression (rare, secondary sense).
In the poet's early work there is a clear figurativism, with heavy reliance on metaphorical imagery.
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Last updated: 2025/11/20 17:09