pariah

[puh-rahy-uh]

noun

1. an outcast.

2. any person or animal that is generally despised or avoided.

3. none Pariah a member of a low caste in southern India and Myanmar (Burma).

pariah

/ ˈpærɪə, pəˈraɪə /

noun

1. a social outcast

2. (formerly) a member of a low caste in South India

pariah

1. An outcast; a member of a low caste or class.

The word originally stems from the caste system of India, which put pariahs in a very low place in society. In the United States, it refers to those of low social class or social status.

Other Word Forms

• pariahdom noun
• pariahism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pariah¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Tamil paṟaiyar, plural of paṟaiyan literally, “drummer” (from a hereditary duty of the caste), derivative of paṟai “festival drum”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pariah¹

C17: from Tamil paraiyan drummer, from parai drum; so called because members of the caste were the drummers at festivals

Example Sentences

That has made him a pariah in much of the internet-governance world, triggered lawsuits around the globe and left Africa’s internet-service providers struggling to expand capacity.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Rankin, the lone member of either chamber to vote against the declaration of war, became a pariah.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In turn, anyone who sides with their cause will be labeled a criminal enabler, a disloyal pariah.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Biden did not host the crown prince and vowed to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" over its human rights record.

Read more on BBC

The attribution of fault for the murder made the kingdom’s de facto ruler an international pariah, even though the kingdom denied MBS’s involvement.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• leper 
• outsider 
• persona non grata 
• vagabond 

When To Use

What does pariah mean?

A pariah is an outcast or someone who’s despised and avoided.Pariah is often used to refer to a person who is widely shunned for some offense they have committed. It is often used in the phrase social pariah and in the context of politics.Example: Although the defendant was found not guilty, he was still treated like a pariah in his hometown, with formerly close friends now refusing to talk to him.