Pacifism

Etymology

From French "pacifisme," coined around 1901 by the peace campaigner Émile Arnaud, built on Latin "pax, pacis" (peace) plus "facere" (to make) — literally peace-making. It spread rapidly in the decades before the First World War.

noun · /PAS-uh-fiz-uhm/
The belief that war and violence are unjustifiable and that disputes should be settled by peaceful means.
What it names
A principled, often absolute rejection of violence as a moral stance, not merely a preference for peace when convenient.
Example
His pacifism was total: he would accept prison rather than take up arms under any circumstances.
Related idea
Distinct from mere appeasement, which concedes to an aggressor for the sake of temporary calm; pacifism is a moral refusal of violence itself, and it can be as demanding and active as any campaign, not a passive giving-in.