woman-hater
Low-to-medium; formal/descriptive term.Formal, literary, or academic; somewhat dated; can carry a polemical or clinical tone.
Definition
Meaning
A person, typically a man, who feels intense dislike for or prejudice against women.
In modern usage, often extended to critique patriarchal attitudes or systemic misogyny, not merely personal animosity. Can be applied to women holding internalized misogyny, though less commonly.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The hyphenated form "woman-hater" is standard, distinguishing it from "women-haters" (plural). Not to be confused with "misogynist," which is more clinical and common in academic discourse. "Woman-hater" can imply a more personal, visceral animosity rather than a philosophical or systemic position.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical, though "misogynist" is preferred in contemporary American formal writing. The hyphenated compound is more typical in UK publications.
Connotations
In both varieties, the term can sound slightly archaic or literary. In UK usage, it might appear in historical or character-driven narratives. In US usage, it can carry stronger political charge.
Frequency
Rare in casual conversation; found in opinion journalism, literary criticism, or historical analysis.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be/consider/label] + a woman-hater[accuse/denounce] + someone + as a woman-haterVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No direct idioms; related to "male chauvinist pig" (MCP) as a colloquial equivalent.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Extremely rare; would denote discriminatory HR issues.
Academic
Used in gender studies, literary analysis, sociology to describe characters or attitudes.
Everyday
Rare; more likely in heated arguments about gender politics.
Technical
Not technical; psychological/sociological term is "misogynist."
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The Victorian novelist was rumoured to be a woman-hater, though his letters suggest otherwise.
- His reputation as a woman-hater made him few friends in the suffragette movement.
American English
- The talk show host was accused of being a woman-hater after his controversial remarks.
- In the polemic, the author labels the entire political class as woman-haters.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He is not a nice man; some people say he is a woman-hater.
- In the story, the old king was known as a woman-hater and never allowed daughters to rule.
- The critic's review was so harsh on female authors that he was dismissed as a mere woman-hater.
- While his early essays marked him as a profound woman-hater, his later work shows a complex, if problematic, engagement with feminist thought.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
"A woman-hater hates women – the hyphen connects his target."
Conceptual Metaphor
HATRED IS A DISEASE/CONDITION ("incorrigible woman-hater"), or HATRED IS A LABEL/IDENTITY ("avowed woman-hater").
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as "женоненавистник" in casual contexts without considering register; "женоненавистник" is formal/literary, similar to "woman-hater." "Мизогин" is the direct equivalent of "misogynist."
Common Mistakes
- Writing as one word "womanhater" (should be hyphenated).
- Using plural "women-hater" for singular (though "women-haters" is correct plural).
- Confusing with "man-hater" (misandrist).
Practice
Quiz
Which term is most clinically precise and contemporary for 'woman-hater'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically yes, it historically describes men who hate women. In modern usage, it could theoretically apply to anyone with a deep-seated prejudice against women, but it remains predominantly associated with male attitudes.
'Misogynist' is a more formal, academic, and systemic term, often referring to ingrained cultural or ideological prejudice. 'Woman-hater' suggests a more personal, overt, and sometimes emotionally charged animosity. They are often used interchangeably, but register differs.
Yes, in cases of internalized misogyny where a woman expresses hatred or severe prejudice against women as a group. However, the term 'misogynist' is more commonly used in such psychological or sociological analyses.
Yes, the standard spelling is hyphenated: 'woman-hater'. The plural is 'woman-haters' or occasionally 'women-haters'.