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Is there a word expressing an idea or a thought that is popular in the public, especially in the academic community for a period of time, and may influence history, leave a mark in history. Thanks a lot.

Nef · Accepted Answer

paradigm? (3rd definition)

American Heritage Dictionary -

par·a·digm
n.

One that serves as a pattern or model.
A set or list of all the inflectional forms of a word or of one of its grammatical categories: the paradigm of an irregular verb.
A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline.

Marius Hancu · Answer

Nef:

Very interesting. The only definitions given in the MW dictionary are:

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par·a·digm

Function: noun

1 : EXAMPLE, PATTERN<mistaken the paradigm for the theory -- Margaret Mead> <a typical conditioned-response paradigm -- W.N.Kellogg> <regard science as the paradigm of true knowledge -- G.C.J.Midgley> <paradigms of musical perfection -- H.G.Aiken>

2 a : an example of a conjugation or declension showing a word in all its inflectional forms b : a set of forms peculiar to a verb, noun, pronoun, or adjective

3 : a narrative passage in the Gospels that illustrates a saying of Jesus and represents one of the literary patterns distinguished by form criticism <the paradigm ... is represented in its purity by the healing of the paralytic -- Times Literary Supplement>

synonym see MODEL

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paradigm

Function: noun

: a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated

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