Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Samaritanism

noun
Sa·​mar·​i·​tan·​ism | \-ᵊnˌizəm, -əˌni-\
plural -s

Definition of Samaritanism 

1a : the religious doctrine of the Samaritans

b : an expression characteristic of the Samaritan dialect

2 or samaritanism : a compassionate character or deed

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for Samaritanism

Samaritan entry 1 + -ism

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about Samaritanism

Share Samaritanism

Statistics for Samaritanism

Look-up Popularity

Comments on Samaritanism

What made you want to look up Samaritanism? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

epitome

a typical or ideal example

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Find the Cousins

  • a-large-tree-with-many-branches
  • Which pair shares a common word ancestor?
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Add Diction

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games