bigot

American  

[big-uht] / ˈbɪg ət /

noun

• bigots
  plural

1. a person who is intolerant or hateful toward people whose race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc., is different from the person's own.

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bigot British  

/ ˈbɪɡət /

noun

1. a person who is intolerant of any ideas other than his or her own, esp on religion, politics, or race

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bigoted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• bigots
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bigot

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French, from Old French: a derogatory name applied by the French to the Normans, perhaps from Old English bī God “by God”

Compare meaning

How does bigot compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• bigot vs. racist

Explanation

A bigot is someone who doesn't tolerate people of different backgrounds or opinions. Someone who tells a racist joke might be labeled a bigot. A bigot can also be someone who refuses to accept other ideas, as in politics. This word was borrowed from Middle French, but the French word is of uncertain origin. In Old French bigot was a term of abuse for Normans, and possibly related to the oath bi got "by God." In English and French, a bigot was originally a hypocrite, a person who claims to have certain moral beliefs but whose behavior doesn't match those beliefs. A bigot was specifically a hypocritical professor of religion, but the connection with the current sense of bigot is not clear.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bigot bigots

“To call Jeremy Carl a radical and a bigot and unqualified is all far too kind.”

From Salon ● Feb. 12, 2026

The best, and most popular, of these was Norman Lear’s generation-gap sitcom “All in the Family,” starring Carroll O’Connor as retrograde bigot Archie Bunker, and Rob Reiner as his liberal son-in-law, Mike.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026

“When a news organization says you’re a racist, bigot, whatever, people believe them,” he said.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 5, 2024

During the waning days of Vietnam and the rancor of the Watergate era, the conflict between Meathead, an educated, politically progressive hippie, and Archie, a working-class bigot, resonated with millions of Americans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2023

But first I needed to prove that she was not just a bigot but a liar.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

“Are they bigots? Are they deluded in thinking that they are subjected to unfair competition?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026

Greer also vowed to take on "bigots and the conmen" directing anger at the most vulnerable people in society.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2025

The demographic classification itself is extremely broad, encompassing white and Indigenous and Afro-Latinos, long-conservative anti-leftist refugees from Venezuela and Cuba, Democratic-loyal Mexican Americans, immigrants, U.S.–born citizens, bigots and progressives, Catholics and Protestants and atheists.

From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2025

It presumes that the feelings of real or imagined bigots who might take umbrage at such an image are of paramount importance, and that everyone else's freedoms must be curtailed to appease them.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2023

And you don’t like bigots, bullies, snobs or hypocrites.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Related Words

• dogmatist
• extremist
• fanatic
• true believer
• zealot