bigot means one who is narrow-mindedly devoted to their own ideas and groups, and intolerant of (people of) differing ideas, races, genders, religions, politics, etc. It carries an Arena rating of 1593, earned across 32 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, bigot ranks #343 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,543 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #2,463 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words, #4,067 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
bigot is pronounced /ˈbɪɡət/.
Why “bigot” is a great word
BIGOT — [Noun] A person obstinately and unreasonably devoted to their own creed or faction, marked by an active intolerance of those who differ, particularly in race, religion, or politics. From French bigot ("sanctimonious person, religious hypocrite"), of disputed origin; most often believed to derive from the Old French derogatory term for the Normans, said to be known for the oath bi God ("by God"). The sense broadened from 'religious hypocrite' in the late 16th century to its modern meaning by the late 17th century. Unlike a zealot, whose fervor is for a cause, or a partisan, whose loyalty is to a party, a bigot is defined by a rigid, defensive faith that actively excludes. It is the iron gate of the mind that admits no new key, the cold turning of a back in a crowded room, the rehearsed argument delivered with the rhythm of a prayer—the architecture of a soul that mistakes its own prison for a fortress.
Etymology
From French bigot (“a sanctimonious person; a religious hypocrite”), from Middle French bigot, from Old French bigot, of disputed origin. It is most often believed to have derived from the identical Old French derogatory term bigot applied to the overly religious Normans, said to be known for frequently swearing Middle English bi God (“by God”) (compare Old English bī god, Middle High German bī got, Middle Dutch bi gode), which is also thought to be the origin of the surname Bigott, Bygott. (Compare the French use of "godons" and "goddamns" to refer to the English in Joan of Arc's time, and les sommobiches (see son of a bitch) during World War I). From meaning "someone overly religious" it came to mean "someone overly devoted to their own religious opinion", and then to its current sense.
noun
- One who is narrow-mindedly devoted to their own ideas and groups, and intolerant of (people of) differing ideas, races, genders, religions, politics, etc.e.g.“A former senior minister from Boris Johnson’s government told the Guardian they believed Braverman was a “real racist bigot”.” — 2023 April 13, Aletha Adu, Jessica Elgot, Kiran Stacey, “Senior Conservatives hit out at Suella Braverman’s ‘racist rhetoric’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
- One who is overly pious in matters of religion, often hypocritically or else superstitiously so.e.g.“He is no bigot or hypocrite, he is not torn and divided betwixt reality and appearance, no wretch of a rugged and peevish disposition, but honest, jovial, resolute, and a good fellow.” — 1653, Urquhart, translating Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais, book 1
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- bigoted 72% match — Having the characteristics of a bigot; strongly prejudiced; forming negative opinions about others without just cause. vs bigot →
- bigotry 72% match — The condition or the characteristic quality of a bigot, especially religious, anti-religious or racial intolerant prejudice; opinionatedness; fanaticism; fanatic intolerance. vs bigot →
- bigotize 72% match — To be a bigot; act a bigot. vs bigot →
- bigotish 71% match — Characteristic or typical of a bigot. vs bigot →
- bigotous 69% match — Of, or characteristic of a bigot. vs bigot →
- bigotlike 69% match — Resembling or characteristic of a bigot. vs bigot →
- bigoty 67% match — Having the qualities or characteristics of a bigot vs bigot →
- bigotly 66% match — In a bigoted manner; like a bigot vs bigot →