The Rise and Fall of Newfangledism: Understanding a Bygone Term for Innovation

Newfangledism is a term that was popularized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to describe something that is new, modern, or innovative. The word is derived from the phrase "new fang," which was used to describe something that was recently invented or introduced. Over time, the phrase evolved into "newfangledism," which became a catch-all term for anything that was considered new or cutting-edge.
Newfangledism was often used in a derogatory way to describe things that were seen as strange or unfamiliar, such as new technologies, social movements, or cultural trends. The term was often used to dismiss or disparage these new ideas, and it was often associated with a sense of suspicion or fear of the unknown.
Today, the term "newfangledism" is largely obsolete, and it is not commonly used in everyday language. However, its legacy can be seen in the way that we use terms like "innovative" or "cutting-edge" to describe new ideas and technologies.