The practice, ideology, or system of bullying; bullying behavior viewed as an organized or cultural phenomenon.
From 'bully' combined with the suffix '-ism' (from German '-ismus,' ultimately from Latin, meaning a belief system, practice, or distinctive characteristic). This creates a parallel to words like 'heroism' or 'vandalism.'
Adding '-ism' to any word transforms it from describing an action into suggesting it's an ideology or worldview. 'Bullyism' makes aggression sound like a deliberate philosophy rather than just bad behavior—which is exactly what it is in toxic communities where intimidation becomes a value system.
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