Misoxeny

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The aversion to strangers or foreign cultures is known as a specific dislike for interacting with those who are not familiar or similar to oneself
2. A strong prejudice against outsiders or those from different backgrounds is characterized by this distaste for foreign relationships
3. This term describes an intense unwillingness to accept or embrace individuals who are perceived as strangers or different from one's own group

Etymology: Misoxeny is built from two Greek elements. "Miso-" comes from "misein," meaning "to hate," and "-xeny" comes from "xenos," meaning "stranger," "guest" or "foreigner." Put together, the word literally means hatred of strangers or foreigners. The Greek "xenos" was a rich word in its own right. It covered both the stranger who arrived at your door and the host who welcomed him, which is why English also has "xenophobia" (fear of strangers) and "xenophile" (a lover of foreigners) built on the same stem. The second element is what gives "misoxeny" its character: a hatred directed at the outsider as an outsider. The word is a modern coinage built from classical parts rather than a term used by ancient Greeks, and it is a rare, mostly technical or literary formation. Its meaning sits close to "xenophobia," though "xenophobia" is the far more common choice.