Xenophobias

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An irrational fear or aversion to people from different cultures or ethnic groups
2. a discriminatory attitude towards individuals perceived as outsiders
3. a social phenomenon characterized by hostility or prejudice against foreigners or those who are culturally different

Etymology: "Xenophobias" is simply the plural of "xenophobia," so its history is that of the singular noun. The first half comes from ancient Greek "xénos," meaning stranger, guest or foreigner, a word that could describe both an unfamiliar outsider and a host-guest bond. The second half is "phóbos," meaning fear or dread, the same root that gives English "phobia" itself. The combined form was built in New Latin, the scholarly Latin used by European writers and scientists, and English later borrowed it. Its pieces, "xeno-" and "-phobia," are classical building blocks that were assembled in the modern era, so the word was never used by ancient Greeks, who had no term for this exact notion.