antisemite: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low frequency, high recognitionFormal, academic, journalistic; heavily negative connotation.
Quick answer
What does “antisemite” mean?
A person who holds prejudice, hostility, or discrimination against Jewish people.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who holds prejudice, hostility, or discrimination against Jewish people.
More broadly, a person who subscribes to antisemitism, a belief system or ideology that targets Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group with stereotypes, conspiracy theories, and hatred.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'antisemite' (increasingly standard, without hyphen) and 'anti-Semite' (traditional) are both used in both regions, with a modern trend favoring the unhyphenated form. No major lexical or syntactic differences.
Connotations
Identically strong negative connotations in both regions.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in serious discourse about prejudice, history (e.g., Holocaust), and current events.
Grammar
How to Use “antisemite” in a Sentence
[be/vote for/condemn] an antisemiteantisemite [who/whose]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “antisemite” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The group was accused of seeking to antisemitise the political debate.
- (Note: 'antisemitise' is extremely rare; 'promote antisemitism' is standard.)
American English
- (No standard verb form in common use; periphrases like 'express antisemitism' are used.)
adverb
British English
- He spoke antisemitically about the community's influence.
- (Rare, but grammatically possible.)
American English
- The article argued antisemitically that Jews controlled the media.
adjective
British English
- He was expelled for making antisemitic remarks.
American English
- The flyers contained antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts of corporate ethics, diversity training, or statements condemning discrimination.
Academic
Common in historical, political science, sociological, and religious studies texts analysing prejudice, the Holocaust, and ethnic conflict.
Everyday
Used in serious discussions of news, politics, and history; not typical in casual conversation.
Technical
Used precisely in legal contexts (hate speech/crime) and social psychology (studies of prejudice).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “antisemite”
- Misspelling as 'anti-semite' (hyphenated form is becoming less common).
- Using it to describe prejudice against Arabs or other Semitic-speaking groups (inaccurate in modern usage).
- Confusing with 'anti-Zionist' (which is a political stance, not necessarily ethnic/religious prejudice).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While the term 'Semitic' linguistically refers to a language family, the term 'antisemite' and 'antisemitism' were coined in the 19th century specifically to describe hatred of Jews and are exclusively used in that context.
Both spellings are found. Modern scholarly and style guides (e.g., the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) increasingly recommend 'antisemite' without a hyphen, to treat it as a unified concept and to avoid the possibility of misinterpreting 'Semite' as a valid counterpart.
Yes, individuals can harbour or repeat antisemitic stereotypes (unconscious bias) without self-identifying as antisemites. However, the label 'antisemite' is typically applied to those who consistently express or adhere to such beliefs.
An antisemite is prejudiced against Jews as an ethnic/religious group. Anti-Zionism is opposition to the political movement for a Jewish state in Israel. While distinct, the lines can blur if anti-Zionist rhetoric employs antisemitic stereotypes or denies the right of Jews to self-determination.
A person who holds prejudice, hostility, or discrimination against Jewish people.
Antisemite is usually formal, academic, journalistic; heavily negative connotation. in register.
Antisemite: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæntiˈsemaɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæntiˈsɛmaɪt/ˌæntaɪˈsɛmaɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ANTI-' (against) + 'SEMITE' (referring to Semitic peoples, specifically Jews here). 'Someone who is against Semites (Jews).'
Conceptual Metaphor
HATE/POISON AS A BELIEF SYSTEM (e.g., 'espousing antisemitic poison', 'infected with antisemitic ideas').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'antisemite'?