misogyny

American  

[mi-soj-uh-nee, mahy-] / mɪˈsɒdʒ ə ni, maɪ- /

Sometimes misogynism

noun

1. hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women, manifested in various forms such as physical intimidation and abuse, sexual harassment and rape, social shunning and ostracism, etc.: Historically witch hunts were an embodiment of the misogyny of the time.

   the underlying misogyny in slut-shaming;

   Historically witch hunts were an embodiment of the misogyny of the time.

2. ingrained and institutionalized prejudice against women; sexism.

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misogyny British  

/ mɪˈsɒdʒɪnɪ, maɪ- /

noun

1. hatred of women

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Commonly Confused

See misandry.

Other Word Forms

• misogynist
  noun
• misogynic
  adjective
• misogynistic
  adjective
• misogynous
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of misogyny

First recorded in 1650–60; New Latin misogynia, from Greek misogynía “hatred of women,” equivalent to miso- + gyn- + -ia noun suffix; see origin at miso-, gyn-, -y ³

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Explanation

Misogyny is the hatred of women. Whenever someone thinks that all women share one trait — usually something negative — that’s misogyny. The noun misogyny, pronounced "miss-AH-jih-nee," comes from the Greek word misogynia, which means “woman-hater.” Misogyny is prejudice — like bigotry or racism — that’s directed toward women. Misogyny takes many forms, from hiring a less-qualified male job candidate instead of a woman to excluding women from joining a club, just because of their gender.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

misogyny

Announcements on making misogyny a specific criminal offence and new funding for community groups to fight racism are also designed to demonstrate a sense of immediate purpose.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Far from fulfilling a Heated Rivalry fantasy with male friends who “had her back,” she entered a dystopia of manosphere misogyny.

From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026

“Gender, sexuality, misogyny, religious hypocrisy, pederasty, ethical consent, and a host of layered questions that have a throughline to our world today,” Mr. Costanzo writes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Here, Fennell asserts that rape culture is our culture, that patriarchy and misogyny seep through the cracks of every single surface.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

Hillary was Barack’s opponent, which meant that I wasn’t inclined to feel especially warmly toward her just then, but I couldn’t help but admire her ability to stand up and keep fighting amid the misogyny.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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Related Words

• sexism

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