chauvinistic

[ shoh-vuh-nis-tik ]

adjective

1. aggressively and blindly devoted to a certain system of beliefs, especially patriotism or nationalism:

   The study of historical colonialism reveals a chauvinistic attitude toward other cultures and an implicit assumption that the West was the standard of civilized life for the rest of the world.

2. believing that one gender is superior to another:

   These four remarkable women composers, whose work is largely unknown, were ignored until now because of the chauvinistic attitudes that prevailed in their time.

Other Words From

• chau·vin·is·ti·cal·ly adverb
• un·chau·vin·is·tic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chauvinistic¹

First recorded in 1865–70; chauvinist ( def ) + -ic ( def )

Example Sentences

She said one of the male dancers, who has since left the show, treated people "in an insane way. The way he spoke to women, including female dancers and junior staff, was disgusting and chauvinistic. We’d be warned about working with him".

From BBC

Experts say politicians have long looked down on Indigenous people and have wrongly explained away chauvinistic behavior as the carrying on of ancestral practices.

From Seattle Times

Coleman said he always had “more fun playing bad guys” and relished the “rottenness” of his chauvinistic character.

From Los Angeles Times

And while this may be the more politically comfortable step — there were countless moments in the original cartoon that were heavy-handed with misogyny from the chauvinistic Sokka — the result doesn't serve Katara as a character.

From Salon

As it was leaked and then published with almost no corrections to its myriad errors, Dobbs set off a firestorm of real-time criticism within the public, the legal academy, and the media, and that criticism is now finally returning to the courts—in the form of decisions that both defy and rebuke Dobbs’ chauvinistic logic.

From Slate

Related Words

• biased
• bigoted
• dictatorial
• disdainful
• dogmatic
• fanatical
• fractious
• hateful
• indignant
• irritable
• racist
• xenophobic