What does stigmatisation mean?
Stigmatisation is the process of attaching a negative label to a person, group, experience, or characteristic and treating it as a mark of shame or social inferiority. It commonly appears in discussions of mental illness, HIV/AIDS, addiction, disability, sexuality, race, and other experiences that have been subjected to social prejudice. The word describes more than simply holding an unfavourable opinion: it captures the way labels can affect people’s treatment, opportunities, and sense of belonging. Stigmatisation may be practised by individuals, institutions, media organisations, or wider social attitudes. Because it can shape discrimination and exclusion, public-health and equality initiatives frequently seek to challenge it through education, representation, and changes in law. The related verb, stigmatise, is used when describing an action that marks someone or something as disreputable.
nounThe process or act of attaching a negative social label to a person, group, behaviour, or condition, thereby regarding it as disreputable or undesirable. It may involve treating people as shameful, dangerous, or inferior because of perceived characteristics or experiences.
- The process or act of labelling a person, group, condition, or behaviour with a negative social judgment, often causing shame, exclusion, or reduced opportunities.
"Public education and anti-discrimination laws can help reduce the stigmatisation of people living with mental illness."
"The campaign aims to challenge the stigmatisation of people with HIV."
"Research suggests that media representation can either reduce or reinforce the stigmatisation of mental health conditions."
The plural is grammatically correct but uncommon; the uncountable form is preferred in general writing.
"The researchers compared different forms of stigmatisation across several communities."
The word traces back to a visible mark on the body: Greek stigma originally meant a spot, mark, or tattoo, before the idea of a social mark developed into the stigma of disgrace.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does stigmatisation come from?
The word comes through Latin from Greek stigma, meaning a mark, spot, or tattoo. Greek stigma was also associated with marks on the body and later with the stigmatata, the marks associated with saints. English developed stigmatise and its noun form stigmatisation from this older sense of marking, while also reflecting the modern idea of marking a person or group with disgrace.
Related word forms
How stigmatisation is actually used
The noun is especially associated with social, psychological, and health-related contexts. British English generally uses the spelling stigmatisation, while American English more often uses stigmatization; both forms are pronounced similarly.
Easily confused with stigmatisation
Stigmatisation is the process of attaching a negative social label, whereas discrimination is the unequal treatment or disadvantage that may result from such labelling or from other causes.