Lionism

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈlaɪənɪzm̩/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈlaɪəˌnɪzəm/
• Hyphenation: Li‧on‧i‧sm

From Lion(s Club) +‎ -ism (suffix forming tendencies of action, behaviour, condition, state, condition, or opinion belonging to a class or group of persons).

Lionism (uncountable)

1. The ideals of and membership in the Lions Club.
   • 1959, Minter L. Wilson, The Light of Other Days, page 224:

     We have learned that Lionism is a spirit . We have learned that an atmosphere has created Lionism, and that Lionism in return creates an atmosphere.

   • 1986, Rashmi Mayur, Prem Ratan Vohra, Bombay by 2000 A.D., page 87:

     The laudable aspects of the movement caught the imagination of the citizens of the world and soon Lionism became an international movement.

   • 1991, Paul Martin, We Serve: A History of the Lions Clubs, page 22:

     In Lionism, I feel we have such a stabilizer and inasmuch as it has been truly said that Lionsim represents a true cross-section of the best in citizenship, everywhere, much of our feeling of concern may to a very large extent at least be allayed.

   • 2000, Tell: The Weekly Newsmagazine, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria: Tell Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 11:

     Sanusi says of his tenure as a Lions Club member: "I have always believed that lionism and clubs alike are anti-Islamic but this disposition, however, changed when I was lured into the club by a friend. And upon realising its objectives, I promise not to rest on my oars in making Lions Club the desire of all who want to render service to humanity."

   • 2000, Pepper Worthington, Big Daddy: The W. Roy Poole Story, page 122:

     O is also for outstanding, that one word that better sums up his contributions to Lionism.

   • 2005, Ola Vincent, Ola Vincent’s Speeches, Writings and Presentations: 1985–2004, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria: Macmillan Nigeria, →ISBN, page 449:

     Thus lionism enshrined the doctrine of love, which binds humanity together.

   • 2016–2017, T. M. Gunaraja, P. N. Gopinathan, “Past District Governors”, in The International Association of Lions Clubs (Lions Clubs International) District 324-A1: Lions Handbook, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu: Signpost Celfon.In Technology, page 52:

     He [R. Ravichandran] joined lionism in 1985 in Lions Club of Madras Park Town.

   • 2023, Bishnu Bajoria, My Journey in Lionism, page 8:

     Lionism is a platform which gives enough opportunity to its members to develop their personalities and become better human beings.

• lionism (rare)

See lionism.

Lionism (plural Lionisms)

1. (rare) Alternative letter-case form of lionism
   • 1832 April, H[arriet] M[artineau], “Art. I.—Heads of the People. The ‘Lion’ of a Party. London, 1839. ”, in The London and Westminster Review, volume XXXII, number II, London: C Reynell, , →OCLC, page 262:

     The practice of "Lionism" originates in some feelings which are very good,—in veneration for intellectual superiority, and gratitude for intellectual gifts; and its form and prevalence are determined by the fact, that literature has reached a larger class, and interested a different order of people from any who formerly shared its advantages. A wise man might, at the time of the invention of printing, have foreseen the age of literary "Lionism," and would probably have smiled at it as a temporary extravagance.

   • 1840 May 19, Thomas Carlyle, “Lecture V. The Hero as Man of Letters. Johnson, Rousseau, Burns.”, in On Heroes, Hero-Worship and The Heroic in History, London: Chapman and Hall, , published 1840, →OCLC, page 179:

     So sudden; all common Lionism, which ruins innumerable men, was as nothing to this. […] [T]hese Lion-hunters were the ruin and death of [Robert] Burns. […] They gathered round him in his Farm; hindered his industry; no place was remote enough from them. He could not get his Lionism forgotten, honestly as he was disposed to do so.

   • 1851, Thomas Carlyle, “Clifton”, in The Life of John Sterling, London: Chapman and Hall, , →OCLC, part II, page 247:

     [John] Sterling […] glanced pertinently with victorious clearness, without spleen, though often enough with a dash of mockery, into its Puseyisms, Liberalisms, literary Lionisms, or what else the mad hour might be producing,—always prompt to recognise what grain of sanity might be in the same.

   • 1980 December, Dennis Forsythe, “West Indian Culture through the Prism of Rastafarianism”, in R[alston] M[ilton] Nettleford, editor, Caribbean Quarterly: Rastafari, volume 26, number 4, Mona, Jamaica: Department of Extra-mural Studies, University of the West Indies, →ISSN, →JSTOR, →OCLC, page 75:

     Ultimately, then, the return to Lionism means destroying or transcending major ingredients of our inherited selves – albeit our acquired (slave) selves.