misogyny

noun

mi·​sog·​y·​ny mə-ˈsä-jə-nē 

: hatred of, aversion to, or prejudice against women

a culture that promotes violence and misogyny

… battled the personal demons of alcoholism, racism, and misogyny.

—James Kaplan

Her books are pervaded by a deep pessimism and an equally profound misogyny.

—Janet Malcolm

… a mission to expose the common cord that nourishes capitalism, misogyny, classism, and fat hatred …

—Anastasia Higginbotham

also : something (such as speech or behavior) that reflects and fosters misogyny

Cosloy's suggestion for a solution to misogyny in song—women should make their own records!—is scurrilous as long as men are not ready to pass the mike.

—Evelyn McDonnell

Dr [Una] McIlvenna says misogyny has always been rife. "There's always been misogyny in news reporting, both victim-blaming and in the coverage of women who commit crimes."

—Lisa Needham

Did you know?

The (Etymological) Roots of Misogyny

Misogyny may be distinguished from the closely related word sexism, which signifies discrimination based on sex (although it most frequently refers to discrimination against women) and also carries the meaning “behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex.”

Misogyny refers specifically to a hatred of women. The word is formed from the Greek roots misein (“to hate”) and gynē (“woman”). Each of these roots can be found in other English words, both common and obscure. Gynē helped to form gynecologist and androgynous, and misein can be found in such words as misoneism (“a hatred, fear, or intolerance of innovation or change”) and misandry (“a hatred of men”).

Examples of misogyny in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But while, statistically, women are moving up the ladder in the workplace, there are still incidences of gender bias or misogyny that women have to overcome. —Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025

How much of Blake Lively’s reputational hit was a smear campaign and how much of it is misogyny Lively’s filing argues that the work of Nathan and her associates is directly responsible for the tarnishing of her reputation. —Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 2 Jan. 2025

The actress said her decision to speak up was made in light of the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni scandal that has reignited discussions about industry-wide misogyny. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 30 Dec. 2024

Many commentators reflected on the misogyny behind the backlash, and noted that the public always seemed particularly willing to tear down successful women. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Greek misogynia, from misein to hate + gynē woman — more at queen

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above