bigot
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
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:
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.
Vocabulary lists containing bigot
The Westing Game
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Black Like Me
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Little Rock Girl 1957
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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.
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
There's even a video in which an American bigot compares being criticized online to the plight of Soviet dissidents thrown in a gulag.
From Salon • Sep. 13, 2023
“I’m going to get called a bigot tomorrow. I’ve been called a bigot before. I don’t care,” said Clarke, who voted no.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2023
He had enough problems with the empty restaurant, a lazy son, and his nagging ulcer; now he had to put up with this bigot.
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
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.
