xenophobic
Americanadjective
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relating to or exhibiting fear or hatred of foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers.
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relating to or exhibiting fear or dislike of the customs, dress, etc., of people who are culturally different.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of xenophobic
First recorded in 1910–15; xenophob(ia) + -ic
Explanation
Someone who is xenophobic is abnormally hostile toward foreigners. If you don't want any foreign people in your town, then you're xenophobic. Xenophobic comes from the Greek and literally means "fear of strangers," although when we talk about someone who is xenophobic, we're talking about someone who has converted fear into hatred or contempt. Sometimes people who discriminate against foreigners or feel very strongly that no one should be allowed to immigrate to their country are also called xenophobic.
Vocabulary lists containing xenophobic
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Never Fear: Phobia, Phobic
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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.
Most Xenophobic Moment: While America is a country crafted by immigrants, we are still rather isolationist when it comes to our celebrities.
From Time • May 9, 2012
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.
