-shəˌnizəm noun
( -s )
Etymology: German expressionismus, from French expression (from Medieval Latin expression-, expressio ) + German -ismus -ism
1. : a theory or practice in art especially of the late 19th and 20th centuries of seeking to depict not objective reality but the subjective emotions and responses that objects and events arouse in the artist with wide use of distortion, exaggeration, and symbolism — often contrasted with impressionism
2. : a theory or practice in the literature and theater of the 20th century of presenting the subjective or subconscious thoughts and emotions of characters, the struggle of abstract forces, or the inner realities of life by a wide variety of nonnaturalistic techniques that include abstraction, distortion, and symbolism
3. : a theory or practice in music especially of the 20th century of avoiding the traditional tonalities and techniques and seeking to express the composer's inner experience — often contrasted with impressionism