legalism
/ˈliːɡəˌlɪzəm/
noun
Origin
Latin
legalis — pertaining to the law
Overview
Meaning Now
- Strict, literal, or excessive adherence to the law or a code of rules.
- A school of ancient Chinese philosophy that emphasized strict laws and harsh punishments to ensure social order and state power.
Literal older meaning
condition of being according to law
Language path
Latin → French → English
Earliest form
legalism
Earliest period
19th century
Journey
The term is used both in legal theory to describe a formalist approach to jurisprudence and in history to describe the Chinese philosophy of the Qin dynasty, associated with figures like Shang Yang and Han Fei, which favored state authority over moral persuasion.
Evolution
- Ancient Latin
lex
“law, statute”
The foundational noun for legal terminology.
- Late Latin
legalis
“of or relating to law”
Adjective derived from 'lex'.
- 19th Century English
legalism
“adherence to law”
Formed in English by adding the suffix '-ism' to 'legal'.
Connections
Word parts
legal
root
relating to law
ism
suffix
doctrine, practice, or state of being
Related across languages
French
légal
legal
Italian
legale
legal
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Related to legalism
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.