bigotry

American  

[big-uh-tree] / ˈbɪg ə tri /

noun

bigotries plural

1. stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.

   Synonyms:

   discrimination, bias, narrow-mindedness

2. the actions, beliefs, prejudices, etc., of a bigot.

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bigotry British  

/ ˈbɪɡətrɪ /

noun

1. the attitudes, behaviour, or way of thinking of a bigot; prejudice; intolerance

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• bigotries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bigotry

First recorded in 1665–75; bigot + -ry, formation parallel to French bigoterie

Explanation

If a person is intolerant of other ideas, races, or religions, we call that person a bigot. The intolerance expressed by that bigot is called bigotry. Bigotry is ugly. There are different types of bigotry — like religious bigotry or racist bigotry. Although bigotry can mean any form of intolerance or prejudice, when the word is used alone, it is most often understood to mean racial bigotry. The bigotry behind Jim Crow laws that separated races in the 1950s seems unbelievable to most modern teenagers.

Related Words

• bias
• discrimination
• fanaticism
• injustice
• racism
• sexism
• unfairness