lo·cal·ism / ˈlōkəˌlizəm/ • n. preference for a locality, particularly to one's own area or region. ∎ derog. the limitation of ideas and interests resulting from this. ∎  a characteristic of a particular locality, such as a local idiom or custom.DERIVATIVES: lo·cal·ist n. & adj.

LOCALISM. An expression that belongs to a particular place or geographical variety of a language: for example, in Sierra Leone, hot drink means ‘alcoholic beverage’; in ScoE, loch refers to a lake in Scotland, while lake is used for more general purposes. See -ISM, REGIONALISM.