DISCRIMINATION


Meaning of DISCRIMINATION in English

di ‧ scrim ‧ i ‧ na ‧ tion /dɪˌskrɪməˈneɪʃ ə n, dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]

[ Word Family: verb : ↑ discriminate ; noun : ↑ discrimination ; adjective : ↑ discriminatory ]

1 . the practice of treating one person or group differently from another in an unfair way:

laws to prevent discrimination

discrimination against

widespread discrimination against older people in the job market

discrimination in favour of

discrimination in favour of university graduates

racial/sex/religious etc discrimination (=treating someone unfairly because of their race, sex etc) ⇨ ↑ positive discrimination , ↑ reverse discrimination

2 . the ability to recognize the difference between two or more things, especially the difference in their quality:

shape discrimination

• • •

COLLOCATIONS

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + discrimination

▪ racial/race discrimination

Laws have been passed banning racial discrimination.

▪ sex/sexual discrimination ( also gender discrimination formal )

She claimed she’d been the victim of sex discrimination.

▪ age discrimination

Age discrimination disadvantages older workers.

▪ religious discrimination

There must be an end to religious discrimination.

▪ job/employment discrimination (=not giving someone a job because of their race, sex etc)

Progress has been made in eliminating job discrimination.

▪ workplace discrimination (=at the place where people work)

The new law aims to bring an end to workplace discrimination.

▪ unlawful discrimination (=not allowed by law)

The European Court of Justice decided that she had been the subject of unlawful discrimination.

■ verbs

▪ experience/face discrimination

Government figures suggest that ethnic minorities face discrimination looking for jobs.

▪ end/outlaw discrimination

The purpose of the law is to end discrimination in the workplace.

■ phrases

▪ a victim of discrimination (=someone who has experienced discrimination)

Victims of discrimination have the right to make a complaint.

▪ discrimination on the grounds/basis of something

Discrimination on the grounds of nationality is prohibited.

• • •

THESAURUS

▪ prejudice an unreasonable dislike and distrust of people who are different from you in some way, especially because of their race, sex, religion etc:

racial prejudice

|

prejudice against women

▪ discrimination the practice of treating one group of people differently from another in an unfair way:

There is widespread discrimination against older people.

|

the laws on sex discrimination

▪ intolerance an unreasonable refusal to accept beliefs, customs, and ways of thinking that are different from your own:

religious intolerance

|

There is an atmosphere of intolerance in the media.

▪ bigotry a completely unreasonable hatred for people of a different race, religion etc, based on strong and fixed opinions:

religious bigotry

|

the bigotry directed at Jews and other ethnic groups

▪ racism/racial prejudice unfair treatment of people because they belong to a different race:

Many black people have been the victims of racism in Britain.

|

Some immigrant groups faced racism, for example Jews and Italians, while others, such as Scandinavians, did not.

▪ sexism the belief that one sex, especially women, is weaker, less intelligent etc than the other, especially when this results in someone being treated unfairly:

sexism in language

|

She accused him of sexism.

▪ ageism ( also agism American English ) unfair treatment of people because they are old:

The new law aims to stop ageism in the workplace.

▪ homophobia prejudice towards or hatred of gay people:

homophobia in the armed forces

▪ xenophobia /ˌzenəˈfəʊbiə $ -ˈfoʊ-/ hatred and fear of foreigners:

the xenophobia of the right-wing press

▪ anti-Semitism a strong feeling of hatred toward Jewish people:

Is anti-Semitism on the increase?

▪ Islamophobia hatred and fear of Muslims:

the rise of Islamophobia and right-wing extremism in Europe

▪ gay/union/America etc bashing unfair public criticism of gay people, union members, the American government etc:

The minister was accused of union bashing.

|

There's so much America-bashing in the liberal press.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.