prejudice
PREHD-zhuh-dihs
Prejudice (noun) means an unfair opinion or attitude formed in advance, without real knowledge or evidence. Example: “Years of travelling helped her overcome her prejudice against people from other countries.”
noun
1
An unfair opinion or attitude formed in advance, without real knowledge or evidence.
"Years of travelling helped her overcome her prejudice against people from other countries."
"He judged the candidate with obvious prejudice before the interview even started."
"The report highlighted racial prejudice within the hiring process."
verb
1
To cause bias in someone, or to damage a case, chance, or outcome.
"Don't let one bad review prejudice you against the whole restaurant."
"The leaked photo could prejudice the jury against the defendant."
"Missing the deadline may prejudice your claim."
How to use prejudice
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA biased opinion held before knowing the facts, or (as a verb) to harm someone's chances unfairly.
Common mistake
In legal English, "without prejudice" means a statement can't be used against you later — a very different sense from everyday "prejudice" as bias.
Common pairings
racial prejudice
without prejudice
prejudice against
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Word forms
- Plural
- prejudices
- Third person singular
- prejudices
- Past tense
- prejudiced
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Years of travelling helped her overcome her _____ against people from other countries.
Etymology
From Old French prejudice, from Latin praeiudicium ("a prior judgment or injury"), from prae- ("before") plus iudicium ("judgment").
Synonyms
View more →
preconception
predisposition
prepossess
bigotry
bias
chauvinism
clannishness
discrimination
inequality
inequity
intolerance
jaundiced eye
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for prejudice
See all rhymes for prejudice →Frequently asked questions
What does “prejudice” mean?
The word “prejudice” means an unfair opinion or attitude formed in advance, without real knowledge or evidence. In plain terms, a biased opinion held before knowing the facts, or (as a verb) to harm someone's chances unfairly.
How do you pronounce “prejudice”?
“Prejudice” is pronounced PREHD-zhuh-dihs (/ˈpɹɛd͡ʒədɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “prejudice” in a sentence?
Here is “prejudice” used in a sentence: “He judged the candidate with obvious prejudice before the interview even started.”
What is another word for “prejudice”?
Words with a similar meaning to “prejudice” include bigotry, bias, chauvinism, clannishness, discrimination and inequality.
What is the opposite of “prejudice”?
The opposite of “prejudice” — its antonyms — are disinterest, equality, equity, fairness and impartiality.
What part of speech is “prejudice”?
Depending on how it is used, “prejudice” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “prejudice” come from?
The word “prejudice” comes from Latin. From Old French prejudice, from Latin praeiudicium ("a prior judgment or injury"), from prae- ("before") plus iudicium ("judgment").
Is “prejudice” a common word?
“Prejudice” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between prejudice and discrimination?
Prejudice is an unfair opinion or attitude formed in advance without real knowledge or evidence, existing internally as a belief. Discrimination is the act of treating people unfairly based on such attitudes, so prejudice is the mindset and discrimination is the behaviour that can result from it.
What does it mean to prejudice a case in legal contexts?
In law, to prejudice a case means to damage or harm its chances of a fair outcome, often by revealing biased information beforehand. This is why courts sometimes withhold certain evidence from juries, to avoid prejudicing their judgment.
Can prejudice be positive?
By definition prejudice involves a biased opinion formed without real evidence, and while it is most often discussed in negative contexts such as bigotry, the underlying idea of pre-judging something can technically apply to unfairly favourable opinions as well.
