misogynist

American  

[mi-soj-uh-nist, mahy‑] / mɪˈsɒdʒ ə nɪst, maɪ‑ /

noun

1. a person who hates, dislikes, or mistrusts women.

2. a person whose views are shaped by ingrained and institutionalized prejudice against women; a sexist.

   a renowned playboy and misogynist—a poster child for sexism.

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adjective

1. showing a hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women.

   He faces federal hate crime charges for racist and misogynist rants.

Other Word Forms

• misogynistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of misogynist

First recorded in 1620–30; misogyny ( def. ), -ist ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does misogynist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• chauvinist vs. misogynist

Explanation

If you're someone who believes women belong in the kitchen and shouldn't be accorded the same respect as men, you might be a misogynist. A misogynist is a person who hates or doesn't trust women. Misogynist is from Greek misogynḗs, from the prefix miso- "hatred" plus gynḗ "a woman." The English suffix -ist means "person who does something." The prefix mis-, a variant of miso- before a vowel, appears in the opposite term misandrist, which is a person who hates or doesn't trust men. The corresponding nouns are mysogyny and misandry.

Example Sentences

It was into the post-noughties misogynist cesspool that the early feminist blogosphere was born, and initially, it was fun and freewheeling.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

Notorious far-right agitator Tommy Robinson and misogynist influencer Andrew Tate, who faces court cases in Britain and Romania, hail from the town, where about a third of residents are Muslim.

From Barron's • Dec. 28, 2025

Any effort to counter misogynist messaging on these platforms, we argue, cannot just rely on facts, but exposing followers to other visions of what it means to be a religious woman.

From Salon • Sep. 22, 2025

The new “King of the Hill” season takes aim at misogynist bro seminars, cultural appropriation in the restaurant world and how divorce is still stigmatized in many cultures, among other topics.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2025

Being an heiress, Miss Allonby was by an ancient custom brevetted a great beauty; and it is equitable to add that the sourest misogynist could hardly have refused, pointblank, to countersign the commission.

From Gallantry Dizain des Fetes Galantes by Cabell, James Branch