homophobia

[ hoh-muh-foh-bee-uh ]

noun
  1. an aversion or hostility to, disdain for, or fear of gay sexual orientation or gay people.

Origin of homophobia

1
First recorded in 1960–65; homo(sexual) + -phobia; popularized by the American psychologist George Weinberg (1929–2017); an earlier sense “fear of men or humankind” was first recorded in the 1920s, from Latin homō “man, human being” + -phobia

usage note For homophobia

The combining form -phobia is used in some words that describe intolerance toward a group of people as defined by nationality, ancestry, sexual identity or orientation, creed, or race: homophobia , Islamophobia , transphobia . Though there is an element of fear when interacting with the unknown or the Other, words in this category are not primarily about anxiety; rather, these terms are commonly associated with hatred or disgust. The use of -phobia words to indicate hostility toward groups of people is therefore frequently criticized. Advocates and activists representing these groups recommend using the prefix anti- instead, in words such as antigay , anti-Islam , antitrans .

Other words from homophobia

  • ho·mo·pho·bic, adjective, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use homophobia in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for homophobia

homophobia

/ (ˌhəʊməʊˈfəʊbɪə) /


noun
  1. intense hatred or fear of homosexuals or homosexuality

Origin of homophobia

1
C20: from homo (sexual) + -phobia

Derived forms of homophobia

  • homophobe, noun
  • homophobic, adjective

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