anti-Semite

1 of 2

noun (1)

an·​ti-Sem·​ite ˌan-tē-ˈse-ˌmīt How to pronounce anti-Semite (audio) ˌan-tī- How to pronounce anti-Semite (audio)
especially British -ˈsē-ˌmīt
: a person who has a hostile, prejudiced attitude toward Jews : an anti-Semitic person
The anti-Semites of his day insisted that Disraeli was bogus in every respect but his identification with Jews and Judaism.Anthony Julius

anti-Semitism

2 of 2

noun (2)

an·​ti-Sem·​i·​tism ˌan-tē-ˈse-mə-ˌti-zəm How to pronounce anti-Semitism (audio) ˌan-ˌtī- How to pronounce anti-Semitism (audio)
variants or less commonly antisemitism
: hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group

Examples of anti-Semite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Rabid anti-Semite Hasan Piker calls Bill Maher an ‘Islamophobe’ while appearing alongside Michigan Senate candidate Abdul Al-Sayed. Staff, FOXNews.com, 16 Apr. 2026 Schwemmer has past ties to the white supremacist and anti-Semite Nick Fuentes and his Groyper movement, a loose network of white-nationalist activists and internet trolls who gravitate around online influencers, primarily Fuentes. Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
This historical illiteracy – as well as a fundamental lack of understanding about what constitutes anti-Semitism – leaves institutions without clear standards for addressing the centuries-old hatred. Kenneth L. Marcus, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026 The holdover Republicans who have remained attached to the party’s old identity (hawkish, pro-Israel, anti-Russia, opposed to anti-Semitism) have squabbled with its newer entrants. Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anti-Semite

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from German Antisemit, from anti- anti- + Semit semite

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1880, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of anti-Semite was in 1880

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anti-Semite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-Semite. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster