English Reference
noun

sexism

n.
US /ˈsɛksɪzəm/ UK /sˈɛksɪzəm/ sex·ism UK spelling sexisms

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    unfair treatment or discrimination against someone because of their sex, especially against women.

    prejudice or discrimination based on a person's sex or gender, typically against women and girls. Uncountable in its general sense, though specific instances may be countable.

    Simple

    She faced sexism at work when her boss only promoted the men in the office.

    In context

    The report highlighted systemic sexism within the industry, noting that female candidates were consistently overlooked for leadership roles despite having superior qualifications.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the belief that one sex is naturally better or more important than the other.

    the ideological belief that members of one sex are inherently superior or should adhere to specific stereotypical roles.

    Simple

    The old laws were based on sexism and the idea that women should stay home.

    In context

    The author argues that deep-seated sexism continues to influence how society views domestic labour and childcare responsibilities.

    chauvinismbigotry

From sex + -ism.

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

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated