Wiktionary

prejudice

See also: préjudice

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English prejudice, from Old French prejudice, from Latin praeiūdicium (“previous judgment or damage”), from prae- (“before”) + iūdicium (“judgment”).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈpɹɛd͡ʒədɪs/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Hyphenation: prej‧u‧dice

Noun

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prejudice (countable and uncountable, plural prejudices)

  1. (countable) An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge of the facts.
  2. (countable) A preconception, any preconceived opinion or feeling, whether positive or negative.
    Morality is but a prejudice.
  3. (countable) An irrational hostile attitude, fear or hatred towards a particular group, race or religion.
    I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally.
  4. (obsolete) Knowledge formed in advance; foresight, presaging.
  5. (chiefly obsolete) Mischief; hurt; damage; injury; detriment.
    • 1793, Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin‎[1], §20:
      We both of us happen’d to know, as well as the Stationer, that Riddlesden the Attorney, was a very Knave. He had half ruin’d Miss Read’s Father by drawing him in to be bound for him. By his Letter it appear’d, there was a secret Scheme on foot to the Prejudice of Hamilton, (Suppos’d to be then coming over with us,) and that Keith was concern’d in it with Riddlesden. [...]
    • 1702, John Locke, translated by W. Popple, A Letter concerning Toleration […] :
      for no injury is thereby done to any one, no prejudice to another man's goods
    • 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
      England and France might, through their amity, / Breed him some prejudice.
    • a. 1662 (date written), Thomas Fuller, The History of the Worthies of England, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond,] W[illiam] L[eybourne] and W[illiam] G[odbid], published 1662, →OCLC:
      For Pens, so usefull for Scholars to note the remarkables they read, with an impression easily deleble without prejudice to the Book.

Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
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Verb

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prejudice (third-person singular simple present prejudices, present participle prejudicing, simple past and past participle prejudiced)

  1. (transitive) To have a negative impact on (someone's position, chances etc.).
  2. (transitive) To cause prejudice in; to bias the mind of.
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Translations

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Adjective

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prejudice

  1. Misspelling of prejudiced.

See also

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Old French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin praeiudicium.

Noun

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prejudice oblique singular, f (oblique plural prejudices, nominative singular prejudice, nominative plural prejudices)

  1. (chiefly law) harm; damage
  2. (chiefly law) prejudgment; prejudice

Descendants

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  • English: prejudice
  • French: préjudice
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