Prejudices

/ˈpredʒədɪsɪz/ noun

Definition

Unfair opinions or judgments about people or things, usually based on insufficient information or negative stereotypes.

Etymology

From Latin 'praeiudicium,' combining 'prae-' (before) and 'iudicium' (judgment). Literally meaning 'pre-judgment,' it refers to judging something before examining the actual facts.

Kelly Says

The word 'prejudice' literally means to judge before—the Romans even had this concept as a legal term—and it's kind of elegant how language captured that the problem with bias is that we've already made up our minds before we look.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

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