homophobia
Americannoun
noun
Sensitive Note
The combining form -phobia is used in some words that describe intolerance toward a group of people as defined by nationality, ancestry, sexual identity or orientation, creed, or race: homophobia , Islamophobia , transphobia . Though there is an element of fear when interacting with the unknown or the Other, words in this category are not primarily about anxiety; rather, these terms are commonly associated with hatred or disgust. The use of -phobia words to indicate hostility toward groups of people is therefore frequently criticized. Advocates and activists representing these groups recommend using the prefix anti- instead, in words such as antigay , anti-Islam , antitrans .
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of homophobia
First recorded in 1960–65; homo(sexual) + -phobia; popularized by the American psychologist George Weinberg (1929–2017); an earlier sense “fear of men or humankind” was first recorded in the 1920s, from Latin homō “man, human being” + -phobia
Explanation
Homophobia is a hatred of or prejudice against gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people. Homophobia takes wildly different forms, from the state-sanctioned homophobia of countries that punish homosexuality with the death penalty, to playground teasing of a child who is labeled "gay" by his peers. The word homophobia literally means "fear of homosexual people," from the Greek roots homos, "one and the same," and phobia, "irrational fear of," and its original use was closer to "fear by heterosexuals of being thought to be gay."
Vocabulary lists containing homophobia
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.
By smoothly merging the true and the invented stories and characters of 1950s Hollywood, Newson alerts us to the increase in racism and homophobia evident in the entertainment business, and in the U.S., today.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026
Ambassador Cameron Wright, 21, said the work is vital in raising awareness and highlighting the impact of homophobia.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
Attal, whose father was Jewish, said he had experienced both anti-Semitism and homophobia.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
The author says she wrote her books "to work out a lot of my feelings about rampant misogyny, homophobia, violence" in the sport of which she had been a life-long fan.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026
“What if we have a school-wide discussion on diversity? We could show our videos and discuss issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia related to current events, like the Black Lives Matter movement or celebrating Pride.”
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
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.
