1878, originally of Italy, "tendency toward regional loyalties" (as opposed to nationalism), from regional + -ism. As "a word or phrase of local use," from 1953.
Entries linking to regionalism
regional adj.
"of or peculiar to a (particular) place or country," early 15c., regionale, from Late Latin regionalis "of or belonging to a region or province," from stem of regio (see region). Related: Regionally.
-ism
word-forming element making nouns implying a practice, system, doctrine, etc., from French -isme or directly from Latin -isma, -ismus (source also of Italian, Spanish -ismo, Dutch, German -ismus), from Greek -ismos, noun ending signifying the practice or teaching of a thing, from the stem of verbs in -izein, a verb-forming element denoting the doing of the noun or adjective to which it is attached. For distinction of use, see -ity. The related Greek suffix -isma(t)- affects some forms.