prejudice

[ prej-uh-dis ]

/ ˈprɛdʒ ə dɪs /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR prejudice ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.

any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.

unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding an ethnic, racial, social, or religious group.

such attitudes considered collectively: The war against prejudice is never-ending.

damage or injury; detriment: a law that operated to the prejudice of the majority.

verb (used with object), prej·u·diced, prej·u·dic·ing.

to affect with a prejudice, either favorable or unfavorable: His honesty and sincerity prejudiced us in his favor.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

preindustrial, preinform, preinvasive, prejudge, prejudging, prejudice, prejudiced, prejudicial, prelacy, prelapsarian, prelate

Idioms

without prejudice, Law. without dismissing, damaging, or otherwise affecting a legal interest or demand.

Origin of prejudice

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French < Latin praejūdicium prejudgment, orig. preliminary or previous judicial inquiry, equivalent to prae- pre- + jūdicium legal proceedings, judging (jūdic-, stem of jūdex judge + -ium -ium)

SYNONYMS FOR prejudice

2 preconception, partiality, predilection, predisposition.

6 bias, influence.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR prejudice ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsprej·u·diced·ly, adverbprej·u·dice·less, adjectivenon·prej·u·diced, adjectivequa·si-prej·u·diced, adjective

Can be confusedprejudiced prejudicial

Synonym study

2. See bias.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for prejudiced

Any person or group can be prejudiced against another group, for any reason and based on any characteristic.
What We Need Are Anti-Racists|Gene Robinson|August 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But religion also compels us to fight the unjust, prejudiced systems that cause and perpetuate that misfortune.
Believers Must Fight for Gay Teens|Gene Robinson|May 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His prejudiced views are simply not those a company like Mozilla wants to be associated with.
In Gay Rights Fights, Bullies Love to Play the Victim|Tim Teeman|April 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was eloquent in defense of religious pluralism when asked about the prejudiced pastor who attacked his Mormon faith.
Romney the Whiner|Paul Begala|October 19, 2011|DAILY BEAST

Second only to Ron Perlman as Vincent, I'd say, but then, I'm prejudiced.
George R.R. Martin's Top 10 Fantasy Films|George R.R. Martin|April 11, 2011|DAILY BEAST
It is not to be supposed that he has been without partisan and prejudiced views of public questions.
The History of Peru|Henry S. Beebe
I trust nobody will be prejudiced against me when I confess that I see the fair one of my dreams in the shop-windows.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. XXVI., December, 1880.|Various
I am crabbed and prejudiced and critical, and I dislike irregularity.
Short Stories of Various Types|Various
They are the record of a stubborn, prejudiced, well-trained musician and well-read man, one who was not devoid of irony.
Old Fogy|James Huneker
He has enemies here, as I see all too plainly, and they have prejudiced mother against him, and she has forbidden my seeing him.
From the Ranks|Charles King

British Dictionary definitions for prejudiced

prejudice

/ (ˈprɛdʒʊdɪs) /

noun

an opinion formed beforehand, esp an unfavourable one based on inadequate facts

the act or condition of holding such opinions

intolerance of or dislike for people of a specific race, religion, etc

disadvantage or injury resulting from prejudice

to the prejudice of to the detriment of

without prejudice law without dismissing or detracting from an existing right or claim

verb (tr)

to cause to be prejudiced

to disadvantage or injure by prejudice

Word Origin for prejudice

C13: from Old French préjudice, from Latin praejūdicium a preceding judgment, disadvantage, from prae before + jūdicium trial, sentence, from jūdex a judge

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

Word Origin and History for prejudiced (1 of 2)

prejudice

c.1300, "despite, contempt," from Old French prejudice "prejudice, damage" (13c.), from Medieval Latin prejudicium "injustice," from Latin praeiudicium "prior judgment," from prae- "before" (see pre-) + iudicium "judgment," from iudex (genitive iudicis) "a judge" (see judge (v.)). Meaning "injury, physical harm" is mid-14c., as is legal sense "detriment or damage caused by the violation of a legal right." Meaning "preconceived opinion" (especially but not necessarily unfavorable) is from late 14c. in English.

Word Origin and History for prejudiced (1 of 2)

prejudice

mid-15c., "to injure or be detrimental to," from prejudice (n.). The meaning "to affect or fill with prejudice" is from c.1600. Related: Prejudiced; prejudicing.

Culture definitions for prejudiced

prejudice

A hostile opinion about some person or class of persons. Prejudice is socially learned and is usually grounded in misconception, misunderstanding, and inflexible generalizations. In particular, African-Americans have been victims of prejudice on a variety of social, economic, and political levels. (See civil rights movement and segregation.)