antisemitism

American  

[an-tee-sem-i-tiz-uhm, an-tahy-] / ˌæn tiˈsɛm ɪˌtɪz əm, ˌæn taɪ- /

Or anti-Semitism

noun

1. discrimination against or prejudice or hostility toward Jews.

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Spelling

The closed and lowercase spelling antisemitism is now the preferred form. Jewish groups have long preferred the single word spelling, and many style guides, including those of major publications, have also adopted it. While Semitic is a current linguistic term for a subfamily of Afroasiatic languages including Akkadian, Arabic, Aramaic, Ethiopic, Hebrew, and Phoenician, the spelling anti-Semite falsely implies prejudice against all of the diverse groups of people who speak any of these languages. However, that is not how antisemite is used. Rather, the “Semite” in antisemitism is a euphemism for “Jew,” meant to lend a scientific air to the racial grouping of all Jewish peoples based on an outdated pseudoscience of race.

Etymology

Origin of antisemitism

First recorded in 1880–85

Explanation

Antisemitism is prejudice against and hatred for Jewish people. Discriminating against Jews is an example of antisemitism. The Jews are also known as Semitic people, and the culture and qualities of Jews are known as Semitism. Place the prefix anti- (meaning "against") in front of semitism, and you get a noun describing actions taken against Jews. Antisemitism is an ugly thing, similar to racism or sexism. Unfortunately, antisemitism has been one of the strongest forms of hatred in the history of the world, as seen in events like the Holocaust, in which Nazi Germany killed six millions Jews.

Example Sentences

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announcing sanctions against her in July last year, said she has "spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism and open contempt for the United States, Israel and the West."

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

WSJ: What did you learn from using AI to tackle antisemitism?

From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026

Offering a layup to politics writers, Drake briefly wonders if the ire he’s earned through decades of digs and questionable interpolations of other artists’ songs is actually antisemitism.

From Salon • May 21, 2026

Appealing for "unity" this week, the duke concluded his article by calling for people to confront both antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

But if antisemitism contributed to William’s breakdowns, there was another factor at work, too.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield