1. adherence to formal academic rules, methods, or traditions, especially in art or literature
Usage: often implies excessive formality or lack of originality
2. the principles, spirit, or methods of academic institutions

Examples

• The art critic dismissed the painting as mere academicism, lacking any personal vision.
• His writing suffered from academicism, following every rule but expressing no genuine emotion.
• The university's academicism sometimes stifled creative thinking among students.
• She rebelled against the academicism of her formal training to develop her own style.
• The movement arose as a reaction against the rigid academicism of the time.
• Critics accused the institution of promoting academicism over practical learning.