rankism means Abuse, discrimination, or exploitation based on rank. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 89 out of 100.
Why this word is great
RANKISM — [Noun] The abuse, discrimination, or exploitation of individuals based on their perceived lower position within a hierarchy. From rank (denoting a position in a hierarchy) + -ism (forming nouns of action or practice), coined by American physicist and social reformer Robert W. Fuller (1936–2025) by analogy with words such as racism and sexism. Unlike bullying, a broad aggression among peers, or nepotism, a corruption based on kinship, rankism is the systemic weaponization of institutional authority. It is the supervisor taking credit for a subordinate's idea, the official whose contempt is a currency more potent than his signature, and the silent, corrosive expectation of deference that drains dignity from a room—the quiet violence of a structure asserting its right to exist.
noun
- Abuse, discrimination, or exploitation based on rank.“The grading system is behind most forms of overt rankism in the schools. Many people blame the school entrance examinations, saying that rankism cannot be eliminated as long as the so-called examination hell remains.”