pacifism

From French pacifisme, from pacifique; pacific +‎ -ism.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpæsɪfɪzəm/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

pacifism (countable and uncountable, plural pacifisms)

1. The support of peace, specifically:
   1. The conviction that it is morally wrong to settle disputes (especially between countries) by war or other violent means. [from c. 1900]
      • 1931, Albert Einstein, (famous quote):

        I am not only a pacifist but a militant pacifist. I am willing to fight for peace. Nothing will end war unless the people themselves refuse to go to war.

      • 2023, Mike DeSousa, “Defining Pacifism”, in Active Pacifist‎^[1]:

        The individual pacifist (who may or may not follow a particular religion) can for example support voluntary euthanasia while at the same time retaining a consistent view about how to approach issues surrounding violent conflict and the common good. Although such issues raise complex ethical dilemmas, for some, pacifism can accomodate^[sic] the possibility of killing in certain circumstances.

   2. The ethical avoidance of inflicting harm on others in one's daily life.
      • 2018, Blake Hereth, “Animal Rights Terrorism and Pacifism”, in American Philosophical Association‎^[2]:

        Pacifism forbids us from killing would-be murderers in self-defense, but terrorism permits us to slit the throat of a 17-year-old working a night shift at the zoo. […] Pacifism also has the modal implication that no possible wrongful aggressor can be permissibly harmed, even in possible worlds where doing so is the only feasible means of saving oneself or others.

      Synonyms: ahimsa, nonkilling

   3. The combination of the above two philosophical viewpoints.
2. (video games, roguelikes) The additional challenge of winning a game without harming any enemy characters.

• (peaceful doctrine): Gandhism

• (antonym(s) of “peaceful doctrine”): bellicism, militarism, warism

• “pacifism”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Borrowed from French pacifisme.

pacifism n (uncountable)

1. pacifism

• “pacifism”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2025

From French pacifisme.

pacifism c

1. pacifism

• pacifist
• pacifistisk

• pacifism in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• pacifism in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• pacifism in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)