Sexist
/ˈsɛksɪst/
Definitions
2 meaningsCharacterized by, or based on, prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.
/ˈsɛksɪst/
Discriminating against someone based on their sex.
The media often portrays women in a sexist way.
💡 Simply: Imagine someone treating people unfairly just because of whether they're a boy or a girl (or someone who identifies as male, female, or another gender). That's sexist. It's like saying one group is better than the other, which isn't fair!
👶 For kids: When someone is sexist, they treat people unfairly because of whether they're a boy or a girl.
More Examples
The company was accused of having a sexist hiring policy.
His sexist remarks were widely condemned.
How It's Used
"The company's policies were criticized as sexist, as they favored male employees."
"The candidate's remarks were widely condemned as sexist and offensive."
A person who is prejudiced, stereotypes, or discriminates against a person or group, typically against women, on the basis of sex.
/ˈsɛksɪst/
A person prejudiced against a particular sex.
The author portrays the antagonist as a sexist.
💡 Simply: A sexist is someone who treats people unfairly because of their sex, like they believe that one sex is better than another.
👶 For kids: A sexist is someone who treats people unfairly because of whether they're a boy or a girl.
More Examples
She argued that the boss was a sexist and that the work environment was unfair.
He was labeled a sexist after his comments on social media.
How It's Used
"The study examined the characteristics of a typical sexist."
"They identified the politician as a sexist based on their public statements."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
sexist pig
A derogatory term for a man who is perceived to be sexist.
"The protestors called the CEO a sexist pig for his comments."
From 'sex' + '-ist'. The suffix '-ist' denotes a person who believes in or practices something. The term emerged in the context of the feminist movement, initially as an analogy to 'racist'.
The term gained prominence in the 1960s and 1970s during the second-wave feminist movement, drawing parallels with the term 'racist'.
Memory tip
Think of a 'sexist' as someone who is 'ist' (believes in) that one sex is superior to another, showing bias or prejudice.