chauvinism

American  

[shoh-vuh-niz-uhm] / ˈʃoʊ vəˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. zealous and aggressive patriotism or blind enthusiasm for military glory.

2. biased devotion to any group, attitude, or cause.

   religious chauvinism.

3. the denigration, disparagement, and patronization of a particular gender based on the belief that one gender is inferior to another and thus deserving of less than equal treatment or benefit.

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chauvinism British  

/ ˈʃəʊvɪˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. aggressive or fanatical patriotism; jingoism

2. enthusiastic devotion to a cause

3. smug irrational belief in the superiority of one's own race, party, sex, etc

   male chauvinism

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chauvinism Cultural  

1. Exaggerated belief in the supremacy of one's nation, class, caste, or group. Chauvinism usually involves xenophobia.

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Discover More

The word chauvinism is often used as shorthand for “male chauvinism,” a term describing the attitudes of men who believe that women are inferior and should not be given equal status with men. (See also feminism (see also feminism).)

Other Word Forms

• chauvinist noun
• chauvinistic adjective
• chauvinistically adverb

Etymology

Origin of chauvinism

First recorded in 1865–70; from French chauvinisme, equivalent to chauvin “jingo” (named after N. Chauvin, a soldier in Napoleon's army noted for loud-mouthed patriotism) + -isme -ism

Explanation

Chauvinism means the belief that your country is superior to all others. If you traveled to China and complained about everything that was unfamiliar and talked about how much better things are back home, you'd be guilty of chauvinism. While the main meaning of chauvinism is an exaggerated sense of patriotism, or being convinced that your country is vastly better than any other, the word is most familiar in the sense of male chauvinism. When it's used this way, it means a belief that men are better than women. The word comes from a Napoleonic soldier, Nicholas Chauvin, who was famous for his extreme patriotism — in other words, his chauvinism.

Example Sentences

Her stories are well-told, relevant and often searing, detailing an elementary-school teacher’s slight, a hometown swimming-pool reckoning and chauvinism from an Ivy League club.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

López Obrador has put women in important positions in his Cabinet and been a mentor for Sheinbaum, even while being accused at times of male chauvinism.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 6, 2023

It's not pure chauvinism that leads the historian to prefer the local iteration above all others, claiming it's "thinner and crispier than its neighbor, farinata."

From Salon • Oct. 1, 2022

Vince recognizes some of the difficulties, noting that for her plan to succeed, humans would first have to abandon racism, chauvinism and nationalism and become citizens of the world.

From Washington Post • Sep. 9, 2022

It says something about our century, our attitude toward life, our obsession with disease and death, our human chauvinism.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• fanaticism
• jingoism
• nationalism