xenophobia
noun
ˌzē-
Did you know?
If you look back to the ancient Greek terms that underlie the word xenophobia, you'll discover that xenophobic individuals are literally "stranger fearing." Xenophobia, that elegant-sounding name for an aversion to persons unfamiliar, ultimately derives from two Greek terms: xenos, which can be translated as either "stranger" or "guest," and phobos, which means either "fear" or "flight." Phobos is the ultimate source of all English -phobia terms, but many of those were actually coined in English or New Latin using the combining form -phobia. Xenophobia itself came to us by way of New Latin and first appeared in print in English in the late 19th century.
Examples of xenophobia in a Sentence
Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2025
For many, the conflict stirred dashed hopes for regime change while reigniting fears of xenophobia creeping back into politics and pop culture.
—Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
The Trump administration will continue to do everything in its power to feed voters images that are meant to sustain the fear and xenophobia that mobilized millions to support Trump at the ballot box.
—Paola Ramos, Time, 9 June 2025
As an immigrant allegory himself, xenophobia feels incredibly strange on Superman.
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for xenophobia
Cite this Entry
“Xenophobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/xenophobia. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
xenophobia
noun
from Greek xeno- "strange, foreign" (from xenos "foreigner") and English phobia "an exaggerated fear"
Medical Definition
xenophobia
noun
ˌzēn-
Share