/hel"euh niz'euhm/ , n.
1. ancient Greek culture or ideals.
2. the imitation or adoption of ancient Greek language, thought, customs, art, etc.: the Hellenism of Alexandrian Jews.
3. the characteristics of Greek culture, esp. after the time of Alexander the Great; civilization of the Hellenistic period.
[ 1600-10; Hellenismós an imitation of or similarity to the Greeks. See HELLENE, -ISM ]