DADAISM: The style and techniques of a group of artists, writers, etc., of the early 20th century who exploited accidental and incongruous effects in their work and who programmatically challenged established canons of art, thought, morality, etc. A nihilistic art movement (especially in painting) that flourished in Europe early in the 20th century; based on irrationality and negation of the accepted laws of beauty [syn: dada]. A European artistic and literary movement (1916-1923) that flouted conventional aesthetic and cultural values by producing works marked by nonsense, travesty, and incongruity. Da'da·ism n., Da'da·ist adj. & n., Da'da·is'tic adj.
—Related forms
da·da·ism, noun
da·da·ist, noun
da·da·is·tic, adjective
da·da·is·ti·cal·ly, adverb
[Origin: 1915–20; < F: hobby horse, childish redupl. of da giddyap]
[French dada, hobbyhorse, Dada, of baby-talk origin.]
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