What does misandrist mean?
Misandrist means hostile or discriminatory toward men, either as a noun referring to a person who holds such views or as an adjective describing attitudes, rhetoric, policies, or portrayals. The term is more precise than sexist because it identifies the particular group against which prejudice is directed. Misandrist is especially used in debates about gender, power, representation, and inequality, and it can describe both deliberate hostility and institutional or cultural assumptions that disadvantage men. A person described as misandrist is understood to regard men as a group deserving suspicion, inferiority, ridicule, or exclusion. The word should be applied with care, as criticism of particular policies or behaviors does not automatically establish prejudice toward men as a class. Its counterpart is misogynist, which denotes prejudice directed against women.
A person who holds or expresses hostile, discriminatory, or prejudiced attitudes toward men.
"He was accused of being a misandrist after publishing a series of attacks on men in the workplace."
Usually used in political, social, or cultural criticism, and understood to refer to prejudice directed at men as a group.
Hostile, discriminatory, or prejudiced toward men.
"The advertisement was criticized for its misandrist message."
Commonly applied to rhetoric, beliefs, representations, and policies; it is more specific than the broader term sexist.
The regular plural of the noun meaning people who express prejudice against men.
"Several misandrists defended the discriminatory policy in online comments."
Misandrist names prejudice directed specifically against men, making it a precise counterpoint to misogynist.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does misandrist come from?
The word combines the combining form mis-, associated with hatred or hostility, with the Greek root andr-, from anēr and andros, meaning “man” or “male.” The related noun misandry was formed in the 19th century to name prejudice or hostility toward men. The same Greek root appears in words such as androgynous and android, although those words developed along different semantic paths.
How misandrist is actually used
The term is primarily used in serious political, social, and cultural criticism. It is more specific than the broader word sexist and can describe either a person or an attitude, statement, policy, or portrayal.
Easily confused with misandrist
A misogynist expresses hostility or prejudice toward women, whereas a misandrist expresses hostility or prejudice toward men.