[f. WESTERN a. + -ISM.]
1. An idiom or expression peculiar to the Western States of America.
1836. United States Gaz., 9 July, 3/1. Mr. Sutherland occupied the chair [in the House] … when he found himself opposed by Mr. Williams, a young member from Kentucky, who, standing up and exhibiting some of his Westernisms, when he was called to order, and requested to take his seat by the chair.
1846. Daily Sentinel & Gaz. (Milwaukee, WI), 28 March, 2/3. An Iowa member used a westernism, by remarking that his constituents did a whaling business in produce—upon which a South Sea man asked for an explanation, stating that he thought it was his constituents who followed that branch of fishing.
1884. Home Missionary (N.Y.), Jan. A Westernism originating in Nebraska, I believe.
1885. American, IX. 378. It will become better known if he keeps his strength, as an alleged Westernism has it.
1886. Harper’s Mag., Oct., 773. ‘It hasn’t—ah—panned out.’ He involuntarily made a droll face as he uttered this Westernism.
2. Western characteristics, practices, etc., as distinguished from Eastern or Oriental.
1892. W. W. Peyton, Memor. Jesus, 298. Our theology is too Eastern: we want our Westernism in it.
1907. Daily Chron., 20 Feb., 3/4. A great moral conflict between the teachings of two schools, the Slavophils and Westernism.
