galvanism
noun
Example Sentences
The Economist, 17 Feb. 2018 Instead galvanism led to life-saving interventions—the pacemaker and the defibrillator among them. Charles Kenny, Slate Magazine, 16 Jan. 2017 Word History
borrowed from French galvanisme, from Luigi galvani (who conducted pioneering experiments in bioelectricity) + -isme -ism
Note: The French words galvanisme and galvaniser were apparently introduced by Alexander von humboldt in a letter, dated January 24, 1796 ("Lettre de F. Humboldt à M. Pictet … sur lʼinfluence de lʼacide muriatique oxygené et sur lʼirritabilité de la fibre organisée, lue a lʼInstitut national"), published in the Magasin encyclopédique, ou Journal des sciences, des lettres et des arts (Lʼan quatrième [1795],) pp. 462-72. In a footnote Humboldt states "Les mots de galvanisme, galvaniser, dont je me sert, sont formés dʼaprès ceux de magnétisme, magnétiser. Ils sont recommendables pour sa briéveté." ("The words galvanism, galvanize, which I make use of, are modeled on magnetism, magnetize. They are commendable for their conciseness.")
1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Medical Definition
galvanism
noun