misanthrope

Sometimes mis·an·thro·pist

[mis-uhn-throhp, miz-]

noun

1. a person who hates, dislikes, or distrusts most others; an antisocial, cynical, or unfriendly person.

   They’re a bunch of mean-spirited misanthropes, smugly indifferent to the misfortunes of others.

misanthrope

/ ˈmɪzənˌθrəʊp, mɪˈzænθrəpɪ, mɪˈzænθrəpɪst, ˌmɪzənˈθrɒpɪk /

noun

1. a person who dislikes or distrusts other people or mankind in general

Other Word Forms

• misanthropic adjective
• misanthropically adverb
• misanthropy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of misanthrope¹

First recorded in 1680–90; from French misanthrope (noun and adjective), from Greek mīsánthrōpos “hating humankind”; miso-, anthropo-

Word History and Origins

Origin of misanthrope¹

C17: from Greek mīsanthrōpos, from misos hatred + anthrōpos man

Example Sentences

He was a terrible misanthrope, complaining that the villagers of Puchberg in Austria, where he worked as a schoolteacher in the early 1920s, were “1/4 animal and 3/4 human.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

We feel it and Hemingway and his cast of misanthropes would be home.

Read more on Salon

Chelsea is sunny and compassionate, while Rick seems like the dictionary definition of a misanthrope.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But the two Hollywood veterans, who started acting when they were children, are alike in many ways too — smart, self-described misanthropes who care deeply about their craft and respecting others.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A Mariners misanthrope had an all-you-can-hate buffet in front of him Wednesday between the lack of hitting, wayward pitching and nonexistent “D.”

Read more on Seattle Times