English Reference
noun · adjective

misogynist

n. · adj.
US /ˈmɪzədʒɪnɪst/ UK /mɪsˈɒdʒɪnˌɪst/ misog·y·nist UK spelling misogynists

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Formal

    n.a person who hates women or treats them as if they are less important than men.

    n.a person who harbours hatred, dislike, or strong prejudice against women.

    Simple

    The politician was called a misogynist after he made several rude comments about women.

    In context

    The critic argued that the director was a blatant misogynist, pointing to the repetitive and demeaning ways women were portrayed in his films.

    Usage

    Often used as a strong label in social and political critiques.

    Teacher's tip

    While 'sexist' is a more common everyday word, 'misogynist' is used in formal or academic contexts to describe a deeper, more systemic hatred or contempt.

    woman hatersexist
    feministphilogynist
  2. 02 C1 Advanced Formal

    adj.showing a hatred of women or a belief that they are not as good as men.

    adj.exhibiting or relating to misogyny; characterized by prejudice against women.

    Simple

    He was fired for making misogynist jokes in the office.

    In context

    The company faced a lawsuit after several employees reported a misogynist culture that prevented women from being promoted.

    Usage

    Can be used interchangeably with the longer form 'misogynistic' when modifying a noun.

    misogynisticsexistanti woman

He later said he had gone "to all lengths" to distance himself from the self-proclaimed misogynist.

BBC News· 3 Sept 2026

From Ancient Greek μῑσογύνης (mīsogúnēs), from μῑσέω (mīséō, “I hate”) + γυνή (gunḗ, “woman”), equivalent to misogyny + -ist.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated