Definition
Showing prejudice or bias against particular groups of people; treating people unfairly based on characteristics like race, gender, or age.
Etymology
From Latin discriminatus, past participle of discriminare meaning 'to separate, distinguish', from discrimen 'distinction'. Originally neutral, meaning 'showing good judgment', the negative sense of unfair bias developed in the 20th century.
Kelly Says
The word 'discriminate' originally meant having refined taste or good judgment - we still use 'discriminating' positively when talking about someone with sophisticated preferences. The legal concept of discriminatory practices only became widespread during the civil rights movement, transforming the word's primary meaning.
Translations
BNবাংলা
বৈষম্যমূলক
baiṣamya-mūlaka
CACatalà
discriminatori
dis.kri.mi.na.to.ri
CSČeština
diskriminační
dis.kri.mi.na.t͡sɲi
DADansk
diskriminerende
dis.kʁi.mi.neˀɐndə
DEDeutsch
diskriminierend
dis.kʁi.miˈneːʁənt
ELΕλληνικά
διακρίσεων
di.a.kriˈsen
ESEspañol
discriminatorio
dis-kri-mi-na-to-rio
FAفارسی
تبعیض آمیز
tabʿez ɒmiz
FISuomi
syrjivä
syr.ji.væ
FRFrançais
discriminatoire
dis.kʁi.mi.na.twaʁ
GUGU
ભેદભાવપૂર્ણ
bhedbhaavpoorn
HAHA
neman raba
ne.man ra.ba
HIहिन्दी
भेदभावपूर्ण
bhedbhaavpoorn
HUMagyar
megkülönböztető
meg.kylønbøz.tøː
IDBahasa Indonesia
diskriminatif
dis-kri-mi-na-tif
IGIG
ikpe na-akwado
i.kpe na.a.kwa.do
ITItaliano
discriminatorio
dis.kri.mi.naˈtoː.rjo
KKKK
дискриминациялық
diskriminatsiyalyq
KO한국어
차별적인
chabyeol-inneun
MRMR
भेदभावपूर्ण
bhedbhaavpoorn
MSBahasa Melayu
diskriminatif
dis-kri-mi-na-tif
MYမြန်မာ
ခွဲခြားမှု
kwɛ́ jɛ́ m̥ə
NLNederlands
discriminerend
dis.kri.miˈneːrənt
NONorsk
diskriminerende
dis.kri.mi.neːrəndə
PAPA
ਵਿਤਕਰਾਪੂਰਨ
vitakaraapoorn
PLPolski
dyskryminacyjny
dɨskrɨmi.na.t͡sɨjɲɨ
PTPortuguês
discriminatório
dis.kɾi.mi.nɐ.toˈɾiu
RORomână
discriminatoriu
dis.kri.mi.na.toˈri.u
RUРусский
дискриминационный
diskriminatsionnyy
SVSvenska
diskriminerande
dis.krim.i.neː.rande
SWKiswahili
ubaguzi
u.baguzi
TAதமிழ்
பாகுபாட்டு
pākuppāṭṭu
TEతెలుగు
వివక్షత
vivakṣata
THไทย
เลือกปฏิบัติ
leuak patibat
TLTL
diskriminatibo
dis-kri-mi-na-tibo
TRTürkçe
ayrımcı
ay-rım-dschı
UKУкраїнська
дискримінаційний
diskryminatsiynyy
VITiếng Việt
phân biệt
phan biet
ZUZU
ukubambisana
u.ku.bam.bi.sa.na
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Discrimination has historically been coded by gender in hiring, education, and law. The word's modern weight comes from civil rights movements addressing systematic gender-based exclusion, particularly post-1960s.
Inclusive Usage
Use 'discriminatory' to name bias explicitly. When describing policies, specify the dimension: 'gender-discriminatory' clarifies intent beyond neutral language.
Inclusive Alternatives
["biased","inequitable","exclusionary"]
Empowerment Note
Feminist and civil rights scholars systematized language around discrimination; activists' work made these terms legally actionable.