chauvinistic

American  

[shoh-vuh-nis-tik] / ˌʃoʊ vəˈnɪs tɪk /

adjective

1. aggressively and blindly devoted to a certain system of beliefs, especially patriotism or nationalism.

   The study of historical colonialism reveals a chauvinistic attitude toward other cultures and an implicit assumption that the West was the standard of civilized life for the rest of the world.

2. believing that one gender is superior to another.

   These four remarkable women composers, whose work is largely unknown, were ignored until now because of the chauvinistic attitudes that prevailed in their time.

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Other Word Forms

• chauvinistically
  adverb
• unchauvinistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of chauvinistic

First recorded in 1865–70; chauvinist ( def. ) + -ic ( def. )

Explanation

The adjective chauvinistic is useful for describing people who strongly believe in the superiority of their own gender or kind. A chauvinistic man might say women are too emotional to hold stressful jobs. If you believe that your gender, culture, country, or group is inherently better than another, you are chauvinistic, which is pronounced "sho-van-IS-tick." Chauvinistic is used often to describe sexism, but it also means extreme patriotism, or the belief that your country is better than others. In fact, the root is the French chauvinisme, "exaggerated, blind patriotism," which comes from Nicholas Chauvin, a famously nationalistic Napoleonic soldier.

Example Sentences

To us Milton seems nobly Chauvinistic when he talks of what God has done by 'His English.'

From The Making of Religion by Lang, Andrew

There is reason to think that if Japan were a democracy its policy would be more Chauvinistic than it is.

From The Problem of China by Russell, Bertrand

Related Words

• biased
• bigoted
• dictatorial
• disdainful
• dogmatic
• fanatical
• fractious
• hateful
• indignant
• irritable
• racist
• xenophobic