microaggression

[mahy-kroh-uh-gresh-uhn]

noun

1. a subtle but offensive comment or action directed at a member of a marginalized group, especially a racial minority, that is often unintentionally offensive or unconsciously reinforces a stereotype.

   microaggressions such as "I don't see you as Black."

2. the act of discriminating against a marginalized group by means of such comments or actions.

   The diversity committee discussed the issue of microaggression toward women on campus.

Word History and Origins

Origin of microaggression¹

First recorded in 1970; coined by psychiatrist Chester M. Pierce (1927–2016); micro- + aggression

Example Sentences

So it’s how can we dovetail the microaggressions that you had mentioned before, his journey, his role in leadership, and also the showmanship this man has.

From Los Angeles Times

"It could something as like a joke. It could microaggressions."

From BBC

Supervisor Holly Mitchell, the only Black woman on the Board of Supervisors, said she was discouraged but unsurprised by the report; she said she experiences a “microaggression every single day.”

From Los Angeles Times

She was bullied, she says, and when she came home crying, her parents actually referenced the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., telling her that microaggressions shouldn’t cause her to lose control.

From Los Angeles Times

But Belinda lives it, through the microaggressions from her department head–she exits the position after oft-delayed meetings–and through being forced to care for someone she comes to despise.

From Salon