homophobia

American  

[hoh-muh-foh-bee-uh] / ˌhoʊ məˈfoʊ bi ə /

noun

1. an aversion or hostility to, disdain for, or fear of gay sexual orientation or gay people.

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homophobia British  

/ ˌhəʊməʊˈfəʊbɪə /

noun

1. intense hatred or fear of homosexuals or homosexuality

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Sensitive Note

The combining form -phobia is used in some words that describe intolerance toward a group of people as defined by nationality, ancestry, sexual identity or orientation, creed, or race: homophobia , Islamophobia , transphobia . Though there is an element of fear when interacting with the unknown or the Other, words in this category are not primarily about anxiety; rather, these terms are commonly associated with hatred or disgust. The use of -phobia words to indicate hostility toward groups of people is therefore frequently criticized. Advocates and activists representing these groups recommend using the prefix anti- instead, in words such as antigay , anti-Islam , antitrans .

Other Word Forms

• homophobe noun
• homophobic adjective

Etymology

Origin of homophobia

First recorded in 1960–65; homo(sexual) + -phobia; popularized by the American psychologist George Weinberg (1929–2017); an earlier sense “fear of men or humankind” was first recorded in the 1920s, from Latin homō “man, human being” + -phobia

Explanation

Homophobia is a hatred of or prejudice against gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people. Homophobia takes wildly different forms, from the state-sanctioned homophobia of countries that punish homosexuality with the death penalty, to playground teasing of a child who is labeled "gay" by his peers. The word homophobia literally means "fear of homosexual people," from the Greek roots homos, "one and the same," and phobia, "irrational fear of," and its original use was closer to "fear by heterosexuals of being thought to be gay."

Example Sentences

"All we can ask for in the community is people to speak about things, because while we speak about things we can sort of grind down homophobia."

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

Along with their friends, we've followed all the ups and downs of their relationship as they navigated family drama, homophobia and mental health issues, alongside the joy of first love.

From BBC • Dec. 24, 2025

In the perpetual face of homophobia, the Westside art institution brings queer visibility to its forefront, as both a historical record of survival and an affirmation of the community’s impact.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2025

Through “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” Murphy attempted to critique the homophobia that drove the narrative surrounding the case in the same way he and his team used the O.J.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2022

“What if we have a school-wide discussion on diversity? We could show our videos and discuss issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia related to current events, like the Black Lives Matter movement or celebrating Pride.”

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh