dystopias
|dis-to-pi-as|
🇺🇸
/dɪˈstoʊpiəz/
🇬🇧
/dɪˈstɒpɪəz/
(dystopia)
imagined bad society
Etymology
'dystopia' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'dystopos', where 'dys-' meant 'bad' and 'topos' meant 'place'.
'dystopia' was coined in modern English in the 19th century as an antonym or counterpart to 'utopia' (itself from Thomas More's coined term); it was formed directly from Greek elements rather than inherited through Old English.
Initially, it literally meant 'bad place' from its Greek roots, but over time it evolved to mean an imagined society characterized by suffering, oppression, or injustice.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an imagined society in which life is extremely unpleasant, typically under totalitarian rule, environmental disaster, or other oppressive conditions.
Many dystopias depict authoritarian governments that suppress individual freedoms.
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Noun 2
a society or community characterized by human misery, deprivation, or injustice (used more generally, not only in fiction).
After the collapse of the economy, some neighborhoods resembled dystopias more than communities.
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Noun 3
works of fiction (novels, films, etc.) that portray such unpleasant, oppressive societies; plural used to refer to multiple such works.
Classic dystopias like Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World continue to influence modern writers.
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Last updated: 2026/01/05 20:35