What does newspaperdom mean?
Newspaperdom means the world of newspapers and the people who make them, including editors, reporters, publishers, commentators, and other personnel. The word presents journalism as both a profession and a distinct social sphere, often with an implication of shared standards, influence, or institutional power. A person might describe someone as prominent “in newspaperdom” to emphasize that person’s standing among newspaper professionals rather than merely their occupation. It can also refer collectively to the institutions and people that make up the press. The expression is uncommon in contemporary English, where “the press,” “the media,” or simply “journalism” will usually sound more natural. Its unusual construction gives it a somewhat formal, old-fashioned, or journalistic-literary quality. New dictionaries and writers are more likely to use these conventional alternatives, but newspaperdom remains useful for evoking the newspaper world as a distinct realm.
nounThe world or sphere of newspapers and the people who work for them. The term can refer to the press as a social or professional institution.
- The sphere of newspapers, their editors, reporters, and other personnel; the press.
"Her investigative reporting made her a respected figure in newspaperdom."
"The scandal unsettled people throughout newspaperdom."
"A former television journalist entered newspaperdom with a controversial first column."
The plural is rarely used; the uncounted expression “in newspaperdom” is much more common.
"The two newspapers represented rival newspaperdoms with sharply different political outlooks."
The “-dom” in newspaperdom means a realm or domain, not a household.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does newspaperdom come from?
Newspaperdom was formed in the 19th century by combining “newspaper” with the suffix “-dom,” meaning realm, domain, or condition. That suffix descends from Old English dōm, meaning judgment or decree, and appears in related words such as kingdom, freedom, wisdom, and doom. Unlike these forms, however, newspaperdom uses the suffix in its newer sense of a sphere organized around a particular activity or group.
How newspaperdom is actually used
This is a literary or specialized term rather than everyday modern usage. In current writing, “the press” is generally more natural, though it may also refer more broadly to news media or to the journalistic profession.
Easily confused with newspaperdom
Newspaperdom is the broader world of newspapers and their personnel, whereas journalism primarily denotes the activity of producing and reporting news.