bigotry
Americannoun
-
stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.
- Synonyms:
- discrimination, bias, narrow-mindedness
-
the actions, beliefs, prejudices, etc., of a bigot.
noun
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing bigotry
March: Book One
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Vocabulary Heard at the 2016 Democratic National Convention
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Friday Night Lights
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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.
Miller has denied being animated by racism or bigotry.
From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026
Leaders claim to support “diversity” and oppose bigotry and hatred.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025
It is a moment of joy, confidence, and trust in the idea that anyone facing bigotry can bring their full self into the public square.
From Slate • Dec. 19, 2025
He said yes to Meathead, assuming that the sitcom’s hot-button bigotry would be so incendiary that it couldn’t possibly last longer than 13 episodes.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2025
He spoke about Walter being pulled away from his family in the prime of his life by lies and bigotry.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
