speciesism

American

[spee-shee-ziz-uhm, -see-ziz-] / ˈspi ʃiˌzɪz əm, -siˌzɪz- /

Sometimes specism

noun

discrimination in favor of one species, usually the human species, over another, especially in the exploitation or mistreatment of animals by humans.

speciesism British

/ ˈspiːʃiːzˌɪzəm /

noun

a belief of humans that all other species of animals are inferior and may therefore be used for human benefit without regard to the suffering inflicted

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of speciesism

First recorded in 1970–75; species + -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Activists also spray-painted the slogan "Stop Speciesism", a term denouncing unethical treatment of other species.

From BBC • Sep. 12, 2018

A poignant counterargument is Mark Devries's Speciesism: The Movie, which I saw at the premiere in September 2013.

From Scientific American • Dec. 24, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023