purism Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun scrupulous or exaggerated insistence on purity or correctness (especially in language)
    • linguistic purisms

WordNet

Pur"ism noun
Etymology
Cf. F. purisme.
Definitions
  1. Rigid purity; the quality of being affectedly pure or nice, especially in the choice of language; over-solicitude as to purity. "His political purism." De Quincey.
    The English language, however, . . . had even already become too thoroughly and essentially a mixed tongue for his doctrine of purism to be admitted to the letter. Craik.

Webster 1913