Misogyne

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A woman who harbours deep hostility or contempt toward other women
2. Describes a female person who dislikes and looks down on members of her own sex
3. A female individual whose attitude toward women is one of hatred and disdain

Etymology: The Greek word behind "misogyne" was "misogúnēs," built from "misein," to hate, and "gunē," woman. Ancient Greek used it for a person who hates women, and it passed into English as a learned borrowing, so it was taken straight from the classical language rather than through everyday speech. "Misogyne" is an alternative spelling of "misogyn," the form that carries the same sense of a man or person who hates women. The "-e" ending is a spelling variant that reflects the French-influenced shape some English writers preferred, while the core meaning stays the same. The word is a useful reminder that many English vocabulary items for social attitudes were drawn from Greek roots by writers who wanted precise, learned terms.

Synonyms: misogynist, woman-hater, sexist

Antonyms: philogynist, feminist