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.