chauvinism
Plural: chauvinisms
Noun
- fanatical patriotism
- activity indicative of belief in the superiority of men over women
- Excessive patriotism, eagerness for national superiority; jingoism.
- Unwarranted bias, favoritism, or devotion to one's own particular group, cause, or idea.
Examples
- (C. S.) Lewis occasionally expressed a somewhat tongue-in-cheek chauvinism towards the English. Describing an encounter with a fellow Irishman, he wrote: "Like all Irish people who meet in England, we ended by criticisms on the invincible flippancy and dullness of the Anglo-Saxon race.
- Feminists say that male chauvinism is still prevalent in cultures worldwide.
Origin / Etymology
Borrowed from French chauvinisme (“idealistic devotion to Napoleon”), named for Nicolas Chauvin, a legendary and excessively patriotic soldier of the French First Republic. The figure of Chauvin became especially famous as a character in the play La Cocarde Tricolore by the Cogniard brothers.
Synonyms
antifeminism, jingoism, male chauvinism, superpatriotism, ultranationalism
Scrabble Score: 20
chauvinism: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordchauvinism: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
chauvinism: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary