vandalism

Etymology

From French vandalisme, first used by Henri Grégoire to decry the pillage and destruction of art in the course of the French Revolution, in reference to the East Germanic tribe of the Vandals, which looted Rome in 455. By surface analysis, vandal +‎ -ism.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈvændəlɪzm̩/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

vandalism (countable and uncountable, plural vandalisms)

1. Willful damage to or destruction of any property, such as graffiti or defacement.

   Synonym: vandalization

   As we turned down the street I was appalled by the vandalism: spray paint and smashed windows that were everywhere.

   • 2022 November 2, Paul Bigland, “New trains, old trains, and splendid scenery”, in RAIL, number 969, page 57:

     Bradford once boasted two stations with overall roofs. The pair were swept away in the 1970s in an act of corporate and civic vandalism.

Further reading

• vandalism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology

Borrowed from French vandalisme. Equivalent to vandal +‎ -ism.

Noun

vandalism n (uncountable)

1. vandalism

Noun

vandalism c

1. vandalism