misogyny

noun

mi·​sog·​y·​ny mə-ˈsä-jə-nē How to pronounce misogyny (audio)
: hatred of, aversion to, or prejudice against women
a culture that promotes violence and misogyny
… battled the personal demons of alcoholism, racism, and misogyny.James Kaplan
Her books are pervaded by a deep pessimism and an equally profound misogyny.Janet Malcolm
… a mission to expose the common cord that nourishes capitalism, misogyny, classism, and fat hatred …Anastasia Higginbotham
also : something (such as speech or behavior) that reflects and fosters misogyny
Cosloy's suggestion for a solution to misogyny in song—women should make their own records!—is scurrilous as long as men are not ready to pass the mike. Evelyn McDonnell
Dr [Una] McIlvenna says misogyny has always been rife. "There's always been misogyny in news reporting, both victim-blaming and in the coverage of women who commit crimes." Lisa Needham

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The (Etymological) Roots of Misogyny

Misogyny may be distinguished from the closely related word sexism, which signifies discrimination based on sex (although it most frequently refers to discrimination against women) and also carries the meaning “behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex.”

Misogyny refers specifically to a hatred of women. The word is formed from the Greek roots misein (“to hate”) and gynē (“woman”). Each of these roots can be found in other English words, both common and obscure. Gynē helped to form gynecologist and androgynous, and misein can be found in such words as misoneism (“a hatred, fear, or intolerance of innovation or change”) and misandry (“a hatred of men”).

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The franchise, which now includes Insecure’s Dayna Lynne North as a showrunner, has shed some of its overt misogyny by giving the women in this friend group meatier plotlines. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Dec. 2022 Twitter account was reinstated in late November after Elon Musk lifted a five-year ban put in place largely due to the kickboxer-turned-internet personality’s excessive and often violent misogyny. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Dec. 2022 The conversations around Don't Worry Darling do feel different though, and much of it has to do with good old misogyny. Katherine Singh, refinery29.com, 26 Sep. 2022 My Dark Vanessa––by centering on a vulnerable young woman’s relationship with an abusive man, and extrapolating the nuances of that relationship as broader indications of modern misogyny. Ella Fox-martens, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2022 The attack also rekindled debate about violence against women and gender inequality in China, which critics contend remains a highly patriarchal society with pervasive misogyny despite growing awareness of gender issues among young women. Nectar Gan, CNN, 13 June 2022 What most activates Dunn’s rage is the misogyny that only deepened amid all the pretended freedoms of the counterculture. Sam Sacks, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022 But the duo largely remains in their comfort zone, which can have a numbing effect (and can lead to undesirable crutches, as when the record slips into casual misogyny). Alex Swhear, Variety, 4 Nov. 2022 Lauren, the creator who was harassed for criticizing the casual misogyny in content about the trial, has been inactive on TikTok since. Morgan Sung, NBC News, 3 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'misogyny.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Greek misogynia, from misein to hate + gynē woman — more at queen

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misogyny was circa 1656

Dictionary Entries Near misogyny

Cite this Entry

“Misogyny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misogyny. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.

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