Judgmental

/dʒʌdʒˈmɛntəl/ adjective

Definition

Having a tendency to form critical opinions about other people's choices or behavior, often without knowing all the facts.

Etymology

From 'judgment' (from Old French 'jugement') plus the suffix '-al' meaning 'relating to.' The word evolved to describe people who are quick to judge.

Kelly Says

Interestingly, humans are evolutionarily wired to be somewhat judgmental—quick snap judgments about strangers could mean survival in ancestral environments, but this ancient mental shortcut makes us judge people harshly when we really don't have enough information.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.