prejudice

[ prej-uh-dis ]

noun

1. an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.
2. any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.

   Synonyms: predisposition, predilection, partiality, preconception

3. unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding an ethnic, racial, social, or religious group.
4. such attitudes considered collectively:

   The war against prejudice is never-ending.

5. damage or injury; detriment:

   a law that operated to the prejudice of the majority.

verb (used with object)

, prej·u·diced, prej·u·dic·ing.

1. to affect with a prejudice, either favorable or unfavorable:

   His honesty and sincerity prejudiced us in his favor.

   Synonyms: influence, bias

prejudice

/ ˈprɛdʒʊdɪs /

noun

1. an opinion formed beforehand, esp an unfavourable one based on inadequate facts
2. the act or condition of holding such opinions
3. intolerance of or dislike for people of a specific race, religion, etc
4. disadvantage or injury resulting from prejudice
5. to the prejudice of
   to the detriment of
6. without prejudice
   law without dismissing or detracting from an existing right or claim

verb

1. to cause to be prejudiced
2. to disadvantage or injure by prejudice

prejudice

1. A hostile opinion about some person or class of persons. Prejudice is socially learned and is usually grounded in misconception, misunderstanding, and inflexible generalizations. In particular, African-Americans have been victims of prejudice on a variety of social, economic, and political levels. ( See civil rights movement and segregation .)

Other Words From

• preju·diced·ly adverb
• preju·dice·less adjective
• non·preju·diced adjective
• quasi-preju·diced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of prejudice¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin praejūdicium “prejudgment,” originally “preliminary or previous judicial inquiry,” equivalent to prae- pre- + jūdicium “legal proceedings, judging” ( jūdic-, stem of jūdex judge + -ium -ium )

Word History and Origins

Origin of prejudice¹

C13: from Old French préjudice, from Latin praejūdicium a preceding judgment, disadvantage, from prae before + jūdicium trial, sentence, from jūdex a judge

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. without prejudice, Law. without dismissing, damaging, or otherwise affecting a legal interest or demand.

Synonym Study

See bias.

Related Words

• bias
• distort
• harm
• hinder
• impair
• poison
• predispose
• prejudge
• skew
• slant
• sway
• undermine
• vitiate