xenophobia

[zen-uh-foh-bee-uh, zee-nuh-]

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

xenophobia

/ ˌzɛnəˈfəʊbɪə /

noun

1. hatred or fear of foreigners or strangers or of their politics or culture

xenophobia

1. An unreasonable fear, distrust, or hatred of strangers, foreigners, or anything perceived as foreign or different.

Other Word Forms

• xenophobic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of xenophobia¹

First recorded in 1890–95; xeno- “foreign, strange” + -phobia “fear”

Example Sentences

A man in the suburb of Kings Heath, where a roundabout was vandalised, said it was "not patriotic, it just feels like an excuse for xenophobia".

From BBC

"However, over the past year, xenophobia has fuelled angry protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers, deepening divisions in our communities."

From BBC

The BBC has apologised after a contributor to the Radio 4 Today programme's Thought for the Day slot accused shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick of "xenophobia".

From BBC

Sleuthing for hidden white-power messaging in an otherwise playful commercial is easier than contending with the militarized xenophobia right in front of us.

From Los Angeles Times

Politicians from Sacramento to Washington know he isn’t afraid to tear into them if he thinks they’re too timid to publicly call out xenophobia or support laws that protect the undocumented.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• animosity 
• bias 
• bigotry 
• chauvinism 
• discrimination 
• enmity 
• injustice 
• intolerance 
• preconception 
• predilection 
• predisposition 
• racism 
• sexism