What does anglicism mean?
An anglicism is a word, phrase, idiom, or grammatical feature originating from English that is adopted into another language, such as the French use of 'le weekend' or German's embrace of 'downloaden.' The term also extends, less frequently, to customs or practices considered distinctively English. Anglicisms typically arise through trade, media, technology, and popular culture, with English's global influence since the twentieth century making them especially widespread. Attitudes toward them vary sharply: some view them as enriching borrowings, while others — particularly language-purist institutions like the Académie française — regard them as threats to linguistic integrity. For learners and translators, recognizing anglicisms matters because they can signal register, provenance, or cultural context in speech and writing.
nounA word, phrase, or idiom characteristic of English and borrowed or used in another language. More broadly, a custom or practice regarded as distinctively English.
- A word, phrase, or idiom taken from English and used in another language.
- A linguistic feature of the English language itself (as studied within English).
- A custom or trait regarded as distinctively English.
"The French phrase 'week-end' is a well-known anglicism that entered everyday speech despite purist objections."
"German linguists often point to 'cool' as one of the most successful anglicisms in contemporary youth vocabulary."
"His habit of calling autumn 'the fall' struck his Australian colleagues as a distinctly American anglicism."
Regular plural; used when discussing multiple borrowed English words or features collectively.
"The dictionary catalogued dozens of anglicisms that had entered Norwegian since 1990."
Even France's famously language-defending Académie française has watched 'le week-end' and 'le parking' slip into the language — anglicisms have a habit of winning.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anglicism
The word derives from Latin 'Anglicus,' meaning 'English' or 'of the Angles,' the Germanic tribe whose name gave England its label. It was formed in French as 'anglicisme' before being borrowed into English, where it is attested from around the mid-seventeenth century. It shares its root with related terms such as 'Anglican,' 'Anglicize,' and 'anglophone,' all ultimately tracing back to the Angles.
Related word forms
How anglicism is actually used
The word is most commonly used in discussions of foreign languages absorbing English terms, where it is neutral-to-mildly negative depending on the speaker's attitude toward linguistic borrowing. It is chiefly used in formal, academic, or journalistic contexts. In British usage it may also refer to expressions characteristic of English specifically rather than Britain generally.
Easily confused with anglicism
An anglicism is an English word or custom adopted elsewhere, whereas Anglophilia is admiration or fondness for England and English culture.