stigma

noun stig·ma \ ˈstig-mə \

Definition of stigma

plural stigmata play \stig-ˈmä-tə, ˈstig-mə-tə\ or stigmas

1 a archaic :a scar left by a hot iron :brand

b :a mark of shame or discredit :stain

bore the stigma of cowardice

c :an identifying mark or characteristic; specifically :a specific diagnostic sign of a disease

2 a stigmata plural :bodily marks or pains resembling the wounds of the crucified Jesus and sometimes accompanying religious ecstasy

b :petechia

3 a :a small spot, scar, or opening on a plant or animal

b :the usually apical part of the pistil of a flower which receives the pollen grains and on which they germinate — see flower illustration

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stigmal

play \ˈstig-məl\ adjective

See stigma defined for English-language learners

See stigma defined for kids

Examples of stigma in a Sentence

There's a social stigma attached to receiving welfare.
the stigma of slavery remained long after it had been abolished

Recent Examples of stigma from the Web

One woman is doing her part to eliminate stigma about body size and traveling, thanks to her Instagram and Facebook pages called Fat Girls Traveling.

— de elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Instagrammer Annette Richmond Creates “Fat Girls Traveling” Community," 25 Aug. 2017
In fact, many people are afraid to even bring up STIs at all due to the stigma around them.

— suzannah weiss, Glamour, "The Disappearance of the Dental Dam Illustrates How We View Female Pleasure," 26 July 2017
And spreading information may help remove the stigma associated with showing depression issues.

— william thornton, AL.com, "'Behind the Smile' raising awareness of teen suicide," 14 July 2017
One way clinic workers get around the stigma is to avoid calling it Medi-Cal.

— april dembosky, Kaiser Health News, "Obamacare Inspires Unlikely Political Action In California’s Red Region," 7 July 2017
Kluber's achievement is at least in part because there is no stigma attached to striking out now.

— bill livingston, cleveland.com, "The Golden Age in sports has dawned: Bill Livingston (photos)," 2 July 2017
The actress has been quite open about her past struggles while promoting To the Bone, and her transparency will certainly help eliminate the stigmas associated with eating disorders.

— christopher rosa, Glamour, "Someone Actually Complimented Lily Collins on the Weight She Lost to Play an Anorexic Character," 29 June 2017
The stigma and suspicion can follow a young woman for years, preventing her from going to school, getting married or even opening a business in a small village, where secrets are impossible to keep.

— TIME.com, "Boko Haram’s Other Victims," 27 June 2017
Meng’s bill is part of a larger wave of activism around decreasing the stigma of menstruation, making menstrual products more affordable and accessible to poor or vulnerable women, and improving women’s health and safety.

— michael alison chandler, Washington Post, "‘How do I know my tampons are safe?’: More women push for detailed labels on feminine care products," 20 June 2017

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

Did You Know?

In Greek and Latin, a stigma was a mark or brand, especially one that marked a slave, so a stigma marked a person as inferior. When the plural form stigmata is used, it usually refers to the nail wounds on Christ's hands and feet, wounds which have sometimes reappeared on the hands or feet of later worshippers such as St. Francis. When stigma began to be used in English, it usually meant the kind of mark or stain you can't actually see. So today we hear about the stigma of homelessness, the stigma of overweight, and the stigma of mental illness. People may be so afraid of being stigmatized for losing a job that they'll put on their office clothes and drive out their driveways every weekday morning so that the neighbors won't know.

Origin and Etymology of stigma

Latin stigmat-, stigma mark, brand, from Greek, from stizein to tattoo — more at stick

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1593

See Words from the same year

stigma Synonyms

Synonyms

blot, brand, onus, slur, smirch, smudge, spot, stain, taint

Related Words

black eye, discredit, disesteem, disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, guilt, ignominy, infamy, obloquy, odium, opprobrium, reproach, shame; corruption, debauchery, depravity, immorality, iniquity, licentiousness, sin, unscrupulousness, vice

Near Antonyms

award, credit, honor; chasteness, chastity, modesty, purity, stainlessness; good, right; honesty, integrity, legitimacy, probity, rectitude, scrupulousness, uprightness; goodness, righteousness, virtuousness; fame, glory, renown, repute

Other Botany Terms

annual, burgeon, chloroplast, nomenclature, succulent, sylvan, xylem

STIGMA Defined for English Language Learners

stigma

noun

Definition of stigma for English Language Learners

: a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something
botany : the top part in the center of a flower which receives the pollen