bigot
Americannoun
-
bigots
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
“To call Jeremy Carl a radical and a bigot and unqualified is all far too kind,” Schumer said on Monday on the Senate floor.
From Salon ● Feb. 12, 2026
“I was called a bigot and a transphobe and such a danger to staff that I was refused unemployment,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
“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
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
The people who risked being called bigots to tell me I wasn’t good enough yet changed it even more.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Earlier, Mr Boutcher said "bigots and racists" were behind the rioting.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 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
We can’t necessarily stop the bigots from being who they are, but we’re not going to let you have to face them alone.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2024
DuShawn: No. I mean, I know there are bigots out there, okay.
From "The Misfits" by James Howe
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
