male chauvinist
C1Formal/Informal, often critical or pejorative.
Definition
Meaning
A man who believes men are superior to women.
A man whose actions, language, and policies maintain the belief that men are inherently superior to women, often characterized by patronizing, prejudicial, or discriminatory attitudes and practices against women.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term combines the concept of chauvinism (excessive or prejudiced patriotism or bias) with gender, specifically referring to men. It is almost always used critically. The related term 'chauvinist' can stand alone to mean the same thing in modern usage, but 'male chauvinist' is explicit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is nearly identical in both varieties. The term is widely understood.
Connotations
Strongly negative; implies outdated, offensive, and socially regressive attitudes.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English from the 1970s feminist movement, but now equally used in political, social, and media discourse in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
He is a {male chauvinist}.His {male chauvinist} views were challenged.She called him out for his {male chauvinist} behaviour.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “male chauvinist pig (MCP)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe discriminatory workplace culture or hiring practices favouring men.
Academic
Used in gender studies, sociology, and political science to analyse systemic sexism.
Everyday
Used in discussions about relationships, social expectations, and media representation.
Technical
Not typically a technical term; used descriptively in social sciences.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- His male chauvinist outlook made him unpopular with the team.
- That's a terribly male chauvinist thing to say.
American English
- He was fired for his male chauvinist comments.
- The company's policy was criticized as male chauvinist.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He is a male chauvinist. He thinks men are better.
- My grandfather has some male chauvinist ideas about women working.
- The film's protagonist starts as a male chauvinist but learns to respect his female colleagues.
- The political candidate was widely denounced for his history of male chauvinist rhetoric and policies that disadvantaged women.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'MALE' + 'CHAUVINIST' (like a nationalist, but for his own gender). A man who is 'champion of men' to the exclusion and detriment of women.
Conceptual Metaphor
Gender superiority as a toxic ideology; sexism as a mental fossil.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation like 'мужской шовинист' which is a calque and sounds unnatural. The natural equivalent is 'сексист' or the descriptive phrase 'мужчина, считающий женщин ниже себя'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'chauvinist' to mean only a male chauvinist (it can refer to other excessive loyalties). Confusing with 'macho', which relates to masculinity but not necessarily to belief in superiority.
Practice
Quiz
Which term is a stronger, more idiomatic synonym for 'male chauvinist'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, by definition. A woman holding similar beliefs that men are superior would be described as having internalised misogyny or holding sexist beliefs, not as a 'male chauvinist'.
A misogynist actively hates or dislikes women. A male chauvinist believes in male superiority, which may manifest as condescension or discrimination, but not necessarily active hatred. The terms often overlap.
In modern English, 'chauvinist' is often understood to mean 'male chauvinist' in contexts about gender. However, it can also refer to other excessive loyalties (e.g., national chauvinism).
Yes, but it is considered a very strong, dated, and informal insult from the 1970s feminist movement. It is used for emphasis or to convey extreme disapproval.
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