antifeminism
|an-ti-fem-i-nism|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tiˈfemɪˌnɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tiˈfemɪnɪzəm/
opposition to feminism
Etymology
'antifeminism' originates from modern English, formed by combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') with 'feminism' (from French 'féminisme', ultimately from Latin 'fēmina' meaning 'woman').
'antifeminism' developed as a compound in English in the late 19th to early 20th century as 'anti-' + 'feminism' and has been used to label opposition to the feminist movement and its goals.
Initially, opposition described specific objections to early feminist demands (for example, women's suffrage); over time the term broadened to cover a wide range of ideological, political, and cultural opposition to feminism and gender-equality initiatives.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
opposition to feminism: the ideology, beliefs, or stance that rejects or opposes feminist principles and goals (such as gender equality or women's rights).
Antifeminism often surfaces in debates about reproductive rights and workplace equality.
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Noun 2
the social or political movement and actions opposing feminist movements and reforms (organized or informal efforts to resist feminist policies or cultural change).
Historically, antifeminism mobilized against women's suffrage and later against various legal reforms promoting equality.
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Last updated: 2025/09/01 01:37