hate speech

[heyt speech]

noun

1. speech, writing, or nonverbal communication that attacks, threatens, or insults a person or group on the basis of national origin, ethnicity, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

   The racist graffiti was condemned as hate speech.

hate speech

noun

1. speech disparaging a racial, sexual, or ethnic group or a member of such a group

Word History and Origins

Origin of hate speech¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The platform's community guidelines prohibit hate speech, hateful behaviour, or promotion of hateful ideologies, including discrimination on the basis of disability.

Read more on BBC

"People feel that it's now permissible for them to spout racist hate crime and hate speech because they're seeing this on their TVs," she said.

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The suspect has several previous convictions, including being fined in 2018 for "hate speech" after he posted a comment on Facebook next to a far-right image.

Read more on Barron's

It also comes on the heels of a marked escalation in Carlson’s own race-baiting rhetoric, which Carlson pushed far enough to draw accusations of hate speech.

Read more on Salon

California has similarly argued that its law requiring social-media companies to disclose how they moderate content—including how they define hate speech, disinformation and extremism—is constitutional because it implicates commercial speech.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal