ethnocentric

American  

[eth-noh-sen-trik] / ˌɛθ noʊˈsɛn trɪk /

adjective

1. Sociology. demonstrating a belief in the inherent superiority of one’s own ethnic group or culture.

   Sadly, an ethnocentric macho attitude is often mistaken for patriotism.

2. viewing other ethnic or cultural groups through the lens of one’s own.

   Diversity of cultures helps to liberate us from the tunnel vision of an ethnocentric viewpoint.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ethnocentrically
  adverb
• ethnocentricity
  noun

Etymology

Origin of ethnocentric

ethno- ( def. ) + -centric ( def. )

Explanation

Someone who's ethnocentric judges other cultures by comparing them to his own, familiar culture. An ethnocentric American might compare all the cities of the world to New York City, overlooking their unique charms. If you use the standards of your own culture to judge another culture, you're being ethnocentric. One example of this is the mentality that all places should be like one's own country. The word ethnocentric takes the Greek prefix ethno-, "people or nation," and combines it with kentrikos, "center." It was originally a social science term, but it gained popularity in the second half of the 20th century.

Example Sentences

The 2009 book, Us Against Them: Ethnocentric Foundations of American Opinion, by Donald Kinder and Cindy Cam, covered a broad range of subjects, including differences between black and white ethnocentrism.

From Salon • Sep. 29, 2015