verism

noun

: artistic use of contemporary everyday material in preference to the heroic or legendary especially in grand opera
verist
ˈvir-ist How to pronounce verism (audio)
ˈver-
noun or adjective
veristic adjective

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian verismo, from vero "true" (going back to Latin vērus) + -ismo -ism — more at very entry 2

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of verism was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near verism

Cite this Entry

“Verism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verism. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!