denier

¹

[ dih-nahy-er ]

noun

1. a person who denies.
2. a person who refuses to accept the existence, truth, or validity of something despite evidence or general support for it: It makes no sense for an environmental watchdog agency to hire a denier of climate change.

   The writer is a Holocaust denier.

   It makes no sense for an environmental watchdog agency to hire a denier of climate change.

   Election deniers continue to question the integrity of the ballot counts.

denier

²

[ duh-neer den-yer; French duh-nyey ]

noun

1. a unit of weight indicating the fineness of fiber filaments and yarns, both silk and synthetic, and equal to a yarn weighing one gram per each 9,000 meters: used especially in indicating the fineness of women's hosiery.
2. any of various coins issued in French-speaking regions, especially a coin of France, originally of silver but later of copper, introduced in the 8th century and continued until 1794.

denier

¹

noun

1. ˈdɛnɪˌeɪˈdɛnjə a unit of weight used to measure the fineness of silk and man-made fibres, esp when woven into women's tights, etc. It is equal to 1 gram per 9000 metres
2. dəˈnjeɪ-ˈnɪə any of several former European coins of various denominations

denier

²

/ dɪˈnaɪə /

noun

1. a person who denies

Usage Note

The words denier and denialism are used to describe people and positions that are opposed to the validity or veracity of an explanation or narrative put forth by an authority or expert. The words are commonly used in fixed compounds that truncate the name of the official account being called into question. Thus, a denier of climate change is often called a climate denier, and a movement that refuses to accept the integrity or official results of an election is referred to as election denialism. These expressions become fixed in their shortened form, and are often then associated with a specific counternarrative, rather than broadly applying to any and all denial associated with the modifying word (e.g., climate, election, evolution, genocide).

Word History and Origins

Origin of denier¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; deny + -er ¹( def )

Origin of denier²

1375–1425; late Middle English < Old French < Latin dēnārius denarius

Word History and Origins

Origin of denier¹

C15: from Old French: coin, from Latin dēnārius denarius

Example Sentences

The Scottish Greens previously said Trump and his new golf course were "not welcome in Aberdeenshire", accusing him of being a climate-change denier with a "long history of lies and dodgy business dealings".

From BBC

These include calling pro-choice protesters fat and ugly, defending the racist and antisemitic “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, and associating with Holocaust deniers.

From Los Angeles Times

On X, where billionaire owner Elon Musk spent the lead-up to Nov. 5 amplifying conspiracy theories, talk of “election integrity” — from him and other rank-and-file deniers — evaporated as results came in.

From Salon

Including the denier in chief who sits atop the GOP ticket.

From Los Angeles Times

Cruz, who spun up election deniers with his amplification of Trump’s lies, hid in a supply closet.

From Los Angeles Times