neoclassicism
C2Formal, Academic, Artistic
Definition
Meaning
A revival or adaptation of the classical style, principles, or forms in art, architecture, literature, music, or other cultural fields, especially from ancient Greece and Rome.
Any movement or tendency that seeks to return to, or is influenced by, classical models, often characterized by order, symmetry, simplicity, and restraint, and frequently emerging as a reaction against more ornate or emotional styles.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in historical and critical discourse to denote specific periods (e.g., late 18th to early 19th centuries) or movements that consciously emulate classical antiquity. Often contrasted with Romanticism, Baroque, or Rococo. In economics, 'neoclassical' refers to a different, modern school of thought.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning, spelling, or usage. The term is used identically in both varieties within academic and artistic contexts.
Connotations
Identical connotations of historical revival, formalism, and intellectual tradition in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialized in both UK and US English, confined primarily to art history, architecture, musicology, and literary criticism.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
neoclassicism in [field/period]neoclassicism of the [century/movement]a return to neoclassicisminfluence of neoclassicism on [X]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used. The related term 'neoclassical economics' is a major school of economic thought, but 'neoclassicism' itself is not used in standard business discourse.
Academic
Very common in humanities disciplines like art history, architecture, literature, and music history. Used to describe specific historical periods and stylistic movements.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would only appear in very educated conversation about the arts.
Technical
Standard term in art and architectural criticism, history, and theory to denote a specific style and period.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- The building was designed neoclassically, with a clear pediment and columns.
American English
- The building was designed neoclassically, with a clear pediment and columns.
adjective
British English
- The neoclassical façade was admired for its proportions.
- He has a neoclassical approach to economic modelling.
American English
- The neoclassical facade was admired for its proportions.
- She favors a neoclassical approach to economic modeling.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The big building has a neoclassicism style.
- Museums sometimes show neoclassicism art.
- Neoclassicism was important in European architecture.
- Many government buildings use neoclassicism designs to look important.
- The painter rejected the emotionalism of Romanticism in favour of the cool rationality of neoclassicism.
- Neoclassicism in music, as seen in the works of Stravinsky, sought clarity and order after the excesses of late Romanticism.
- Scholars debate whether the late 20th-century postmodern architecture constitutes a new form of neoclassicism or a radical departure from it.
- The poet's adherence to neoclassicism, with its strict adherence to form and allusion to classical mythology, was seen as a deliberate critique of contemporary free verse.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'NEO' (new) + 'CLASSICISM' (the style of ancient Greece and Rome). So, neoclassicism is a 'new' embrace of the old classics.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE PAST AS A SOURCE OF AUTHORITY AND ORDER; CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY AS A BLUEPRINT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- The Russian term 'неоклассицизм' is a direct cognate. The main trap is confusing it with the broader 'классицизм' (Classicism), which refers to the original 17th-18th century movement, whereas 'неоклассицизм' often implies a later, distinct revival (e.g., early 20th century in music and architecture).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'neoclassicisim' (incorrect letter order).
- Confusing the noun 'neoclassicism' with the adjective 'neoclassical'.
- Using it as a general synonym for 'traditional' instead of its specific art-historical meaning.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a key characteristic of neoclassicism in the arts?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Classicism typically refers to the original period of artistic flourishing in ancient Greece and Rome, or to the 17th-18th century European movement inspired by it. Neoclassicism is a later, distinct revival movement, most notably in the late 18th to early 19th centuries, and again in the early 20th century.
Yes. Musical neoclassicism, prominent in the early-to-mid 20th century (e.g., in works by Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev), rejected the emotional intensity of Romanticism and returned to forms, textures, and aesthetic ideals of the Baroque and Classical periods.
'Neoclassical' is the adjective form, used to describe objects, styles, or ideas (e.g., a neoclassical building, neoclassical theory). 'Neoclassicism' is the noun referring to the movement, style, or set of principles as an abstract concept.
Only etymologically. Neoclassical economics is a dominant school of economic thought that emerged in the late 19th century, emphasizing supply and demand, rational choice, and market equilibrium. It shares no conceptual link with the artistic movement, apart from both looking back to earlier 'classical' models (in economics, the models of Adam Smith and David Ricardo).
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