xenophobia
noun
ˌzē-
Did you know?
If you look back to the ancient Greek terms that underlie the word xenophobia, you'll discover that xenophobic individuals are literally "stranger fearing." Xenophobia, that elegant-sounding name for an aversion to persons unfamiliar, ultimately derives from two Greek terms: xenos, which can be translated as either "stranger" or "guest," and phobos, which means either "fear" or "flight." Phobos is the ultimate source of all English -phobia terms, but many of those were actually coined in English or New Latin using the combining form -phobia. Xenophobia itself came to us by way of New Latin and first appeared in print in English in the late 19th century.
Examples of xenophobia in a Sentence
Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
All across Central Europe, a fascination with runes and folk magic aligns with both right-wing xenophobia and left-wing paganism.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
This is not about xenophobia, but about ensuring that Germany does not lose its identity in the pursuit of globalization.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
In Canada, a nation of 41 million where 2 in 5 people are either immigrants or children of one, the debate has triggered an identity crisis, with a surge in xenophobia that is out of sync with the country’s reputation as a place that is welcoming to newcomers.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for xenophobia 
Dictionary Entries Near xenophobia
Cite this Entry
“Xenophobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/xenophobia. Accessed 11 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
xenophobia
noun
from Greek xeno- "strange, foreign" (from xenos "foreigner") and English phobia "an exaggerated fear"
Medical Definition
xenophobia
noun
ˌzēn-
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