misoneism
/ˌmɪsəˈniː.ɪzəm/
misoneism means the distrust or hatred of new ideas or things. It carries an Arena rating of 1611, earned across 17 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, misoneism ranks #409 of 17,151 for The Improbable, #527 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words, #903 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #3,085 of 17,131 for Scariest Words.
misoneism is pronounced /ˌmɪsəˈniː.ɪzəm/.
Why “misoneism” is a great word
A hatred, fear, or intolerance of innovation or change. From Italian misoneismo (coined by Cesare Lombroso), from Greek miso- ("hatred") + neo- ("new") + -ism ("doctrine, principle"). Unlike "conservatism," a general disposition to preserve existing institutions, or "neophobia," a specific and often clinical fear of new experiences, misoneism is a broader ideological contempt for change itself. It is the visceral flinch at a touchscreen interface, the contemptuous scoff at a new artistic movement, and the white-knuckled grip on a worn wooden banister—a deep, bodily conviction that all progress is decay in disguise.
Etymology
From Italian misoneismo (after Cesare Lombroso). Equivalent to miso- + neo- + -ism.
noun
- The distrust or hatred of new ideas or things.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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