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misogyny

[ mi-soj-uh-nee, mahy- ]
/ mɪˈsɒdʒ ə ni, maɪ- /
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noun
hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women, manifested in various forms such as physical intimidation and abuse, sexual harassment and rape, social shunning and ostracism, etc.: the underlying misogyny in slut-shaming;Historically witch hunts were an embodiment of the misogyny of the time.
ingrained and institutionalized prejudice against women; sexism.
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Sometimes mi·sog·y·nism [mi-soj-uh-niz-uhm, mahy-] /mɪˈsɒdʒ əˌnɪz əm, maɪ-/ .
Compare misandry.

Origin of misogyny

First recorded in 1650–60; New Latin misogynia, from Greek misogynía “hatred of women,” equivalent to miso- + gyn- + -ia noun suffix; see origin at miso-, gyn-, -y3

historical usage of misogyny

Up until the 1980s, the meanings of misogyny and sexism were distinct. Misogyny related to feelings of hatred toward women, while sexism was about firmly established stereotypes related to gender, and the discrimination resulting from such conceptions, typically directed toward women. These meanings are still widely used today. By these definitions, it follows that all misogynists are sexist, but not all people who hold sexist beliefs or support sexist systems are misogynists.
However, it has become increasingly common to see the terms misogyny and sexism used more or less interchangeably. That is to say that the word misogyny is now sometimes used to discuss the societal structures that propagate gender-based discrimination, and sexism is now sometimes used to refer to hatred toward women.
While the apparent merging of these senses is subject to some criticism and is sometimes considered a conflation of the terms, this is to be expected. Often shifts in the meaning of well-established terms take generations to achieve widespread acceptance.

words often confused with misogyny

See misandry.

OTHER WORDS FROM misogyny

mi·sog·y·nic, mi·sog·y·nous, mi·sog·y·nis·tic, adjectivemi·sog·y·nist, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH misogyny

misandry, misanthropy, misogyny
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use misogyny in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for misogyny

misogyny
/ (mɪˈsɒdʒɪnɪ, maɪ-) /

noun
hatred of women

Derived forms of misogyny

misogynist, noun, adjectivemisogynistic or misogynous, adjective

Word Origin for misogyny

C17: from Greek, from miso- + gunē woman
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
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