What does "ideology" mean?

1. (system of beliefs) a set of ideas and principles that a group of people or a political party believes in.

How do you use "ideology"?

Often used with adjectives like 'political', 'economic', or 'religious'.

ideology

US //ˌaɪdiˈɑɫədʒi// UK //ˌaɪdɪˈɒlədʒi// ide·ol·o·gy

1 system of beliefs (n.)
C1 Advanced Academic

a set of ideas and principles that a group of people or a political party believes in.

a comprehensive set of normative beliefs, conscious and unconscious ideas, that an individual, group, or society holds.

Example

The two political parties have a very different ideology regarding how to spend tax money.

Example

The prevailing economic ideology of the late twentieth century prioritised market deregulation and the privatisation of state-owned industries.

Usage

Often used with adjectives like 'political', 'economic', or 'religious'.
- creed
- philosophy
- worldview

Origin

Borrowed from French idéologie, from idéo- + -logie (equivalent to English ideo- + -logy). Cognate with, but not derived from, idea. Coined 1796 by Antoine Destutt de Tracy. Modern sense of “doctrine” attributed to use of related idéologue (“ideologue”) by Napoleon Bonaparte as a term of abuse towards political opponents in early 1800s.

Word family

Nounideology
Adjectiveideological
Adverbideologically