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Showing results for discriminatory. Search instead for criminatory.
Synonyms

discriminatory

American  
[dih-skrim-uh-nuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / dɪˈskrɪm ə nəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

adjective

  1. characterized by or showing prejudicial treatment, especially as an indication of bias related to age, race, skin color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, etc..

    Discriminatory practices in housing historically led to racially segregated neighborhoods.

    They passed a discriminatory tax mainly impacting immigrants to the country.

  2. discriminative.

discriminatory British  
/ -trɪ, dɪˈskrɪmɪnətɪv, dɪˈskrɪmɪnətərɪ /

adjective

  1. based on or showing prejudice; biased

  2. capable of making fine distinctions

  3. (of a statistical test) unbiased

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • discriminatorily adverb
  • nondiscriminatory adjective
  • undiscriminatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of discriminatory

First recorded in 1820–30; discriminate + -ory 1

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.