Etymologically
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homophobic

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 31 October 2026 at 10:31. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • UK: /ˈhəʊ.məˌfəʊ.bɪk/, /ˈhɒ.mə-/[1]
  • US: /ˈhoʊ.məˌfoʊ.bɪk/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from English homophobia + -ic,[2][3] or, in Etymonline's account, from English homo- + phobic.[4] Homophobia is from homo- as in homosexual and -phobia,[2][3][5][6] perhaps influenced by an earlier homophobia, fear of men, from Latin homō (“human being”).[2] That homo- is from Ancient Greek ὁμός (homós, “same”),[2][4] and -phobia goes back to φόβος (phóbos, “fear”).[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Showing an irrational fear of or hostility to homosexual people: Etymonline quotes Time of 31 October 1969, which called a belief about homosexuals and crime "a homophobic myth".[4] The OED's first quotation is from Psychological Reports in 1971, both for the adjective and for the noun.[2]

Semantic evolution

At first the word described attitudes in society, with a sense of unreasonable or abusive fear of homosexuals; later it came to imply, or to assert, active hatred.[4] The OED defines it as hostile towards, prejudiced against or, less commonly, fearful of homosexual people.[2] Etymonline also records an unrelated homophobic, "afraid of humans", from Latin homo, by 1908, and quotes a 1970 Life article on "homophobic mustangs" that nobody but a rodeo hand could ride.[4] As a noun, a homophobic person, it is an equivalent of homophobe.[2][3]

Timeline

  • 1908 – homophobic, afraid of humans, from Latin homo.[4]
  • 1969 – hostile to homosexual people, in Time.[4]
  • 1971 – adjective and noun, in Psychological Reports.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Showing hostility towards, prejudice against, or fear of homosexual people or homosexuality: The club apologized for the homophobic chants of some fans.[2][3][6]
  2. Relating to or characterized by homophobia.[2][1]

Noun

  1. A homophobic person; a homophobe.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins