1. Plural of atomism; philosophical or scientific theories that explain phenomena as composed of indivisible, discrete units or atoms.
Usage: philosophy; history of science
2. Plural of atomism; the practice or tendency to break down complex wholes into separate, isolated parts without regard to their interconnection.
Usage: general usage

Examples

• Ancient Greek atomisms proposed that all matter consists of tiny, indivisible particles moving through void.
• Modern physics has refined earlier atomisms with quantum mechanics and subatomic particle theory.
• The critic argued that the essay's atomisms—treating each paragraph in isolation—prevented a coherent overall argument.
• Different atomisms emerged across cultures, from Democritus in Greece to early Indian philosophy.
• The researcher warned against methodological atomisms that ignore the systemic relationships between variables.
• Nineteenth-century atomisms laid the groundwork for the periodic table of elements.