antisemitism
|an-ti-sem-i-tism|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tɪˈsɛm.ɪ.tɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tɪˈsɛm.ɪ.tɪz(ə)m/
hostility toward Jews
Etymology
'antisemitism' originates from German, specifically the word 'Antisemitismus', where 'Anti-' meant 'against' and 'Semitismus' referred to 'Semites'.
'antisemitism' changed from the German word 'Antisemitismus' (coined in the late 19th century) and the French 'antisémitisme' into the English 'antisemitism'.
Initially, it referred to a modern political ideology and organized movement hostile to Jews, but over time it broadened to mean general prejudice, discrimination, or hostility toward Jewish people.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
hostility, prejudice, or discrimination directed against Jewish people as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.
The rise in antisemitism in the region alarmed human rights organizations.
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Noun 2
acts, policies, or practices that disadvantage, harass, or harm Jewish individuals or communities (including violent acts, vandalism, or discriminatory laws).
The government condemned the antisemitism that led to attacks on synagogues.
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Noun 3
historically, an ideology or movement asserting hostility toward Jews, often framed in racial or pseudo-scientific terms (term originated in the 19th century).
Scholars study how antisemitism developed as a political ideology in the 19th century.
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Last updated: 2025/09/09 17:48