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Chauvinism (/ˈʃoʊvɪnɪzəm/ SHOH-vih-nih-zəm) is the unreasonable belief in the superiority or dominance of one's own group or people, who are seen as strong and virtuous, while others are considered weak, unworthy, or inferior.[1] The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes it as a form of "excessive and unreasonable" patriotism and nationalism, a fervent faith in national excellence and glory.[2]
In American English, the word has also come to be used in some quarters[when?] as shorthand for male chauvinism, a trend reflected in Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, which, as of 2018, began its first example of use of the term chauvinism with "an attitude of superiority toward members of the opposite sex".[3][4][5]
- ^ Heywood, Andrew (2014). Global politics (2nd ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 171. ISBN 978-1-137-34926-2. OCLC 865491628.
- ^ "Chauvinism". Encyclopædia Britannica. 6 September 2024.
- ^ "15 Words You Didn't Realize Were Named After People". Grammar Girl. 21 March 2024.
- ^ "Chauvinism". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.
- ^ The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
Chauvinism is "fanatical, boastful, unreasoning patriotism" and by extension "prejudiced belief or unreasoning pride in any group to which you belong." Lately, though, the compounds "male chauvinism" and "male chauvinist" have gained so much popularity that some users may no longer recall the patriotic and other more generalized meanings of the words.