xenophobia
Americannoun
-
an aversion or hostility to, disdain for, or fear of foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers.
Xenophobia and nationalism can be seen as a reaction to the rise of globalization.
-
fear or dislike of the customs, dress, etc., of people who are culturally different from oneself.
Learning a foreign language can help to overcome xenophobia.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of xenophobia
First recorded in 1890–95; xeno- “foreign, strange” + -phobia “fear”
Explanation
Getting a job as a greeter with the United Nations is probably not the best career option for someone who suffers from xenophobia, a fear of foreigners or strangers. Xenophobia has its roots in fear — literally. Phobia comes from the Greek word meaning "fear." Given that the fear in question is of strangers, it makes sense that xeno- comes from the Greek word for — you guessed it — "stranger, foreigner." In the case of xenophobia, the fear is irrational. Someone who is xenophobic might distrust a neighbor he's never met, or a sheikh who lives halfway around the world. Xenophobia is like racism, but instead of fearing or distrusting people because of the color of their skin, you fear or distrust them because of their nationality, or because they are — or seem — foreign to you.
Vocabulary lists containing xenophobia
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
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100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
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Phobia Fever
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Previous waves of xenophobia were localized and universally condemned by politicians, said Loren Landau, a senior researcher with the African Centre for Migration & Society at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Waves of xenophobia had swept the nation at the turn of the century following a massive surge of immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe.
From Salon ● May 26, 2026
The latest tensions have revived uncomfortable debates across Africa about xenophobia, migration, and the gap between pan-African rhetoric and realities facing African migrants on the continent.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
Of course, artists alone will not save us from the perils of racism and xenophobia — I learned that from my time in the punk community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2026
Competing influences, paranoia, xenophobia and adverse circumstances all conspired to fracture the religious landscape.
From Terrorists and Freedom Fighters by Vaknin, Samuel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
