prejudice

[prej-uh-dis]

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.

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)

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

Can be confusedprejudiced prejudicial

Synonyms for prejudice

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2. preconception, partiality, predilection, predisposition. 6. bias, influence.

Synonym study

2. See bias.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for prejudiced

discriminatory, dogmatic, one-sided, opinionated, bigoted, intransigent, intolerant, racist, xenophobic, sexist, biased, blind, influenced, inclined, predisposed, leaning, narrow, preconceived, jaundiced, closed-minded

Examples from the Web for prejudiced

Contemporary Examples of prejudiced

Black people are tense because they are sick and tired of being subjected to what they see as a prejudiced judicial system.
Ferguson Tensions in Black and White
Seth Ferranti
November 21, 2014
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
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
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
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

Historical Examples of prejudiced

Folks say I'm prejudiced against em; but it isn't so—I hate 'em.
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 7, May 14, 1870
Various
Indeed, my dear mother, you have been prejudiced against her by false reports.
Tales And Novels, Volume 8 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
If he's as prejudiced as all that, interfering would only make him worse.
Sure Pop and the Safety Scouts
Roy Rutherford Bailey
Too, I might truthfully be described as prejudiced about her perfections.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science September 1930
Various
I suppose they've been talkin' to you and you've got sort of prejudiced.
Thankful's Inheritance
Joseph C. Lincoln

British Dictionary definitions for prejudiced

prejudice

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

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.

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.

prejudiced in Culture

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.)