prejudice English · revision 39668

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300, South English Legendary|origins=la praeiūdicium}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpɹɛd͡ʒədɪs/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|prejudice]], [[bor|fro|prejudice|t=harm, damage]], recorded in Old French from the second half of the 13th century^(OED 2026) and in Anglo-Norman from 1267,^(AND) and partly a direct borrowing of its source, [[la|praeiūdicium|t=preliminary inquiry, prior judgement, precedent; damage]].^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline and Barnhart also name [[la-med|prejudicium|t=injustice]] as a direct source.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The Latin noun is made of [[m|la|prae-|t=before]] and [[m|la|iūdicium|t=judgement]], from [[m|la|iūdex|t=a judge]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2024) the source of [[judge]];^(Etymonline) the AHD traces ''iūdex'' to [[ine-pro|*deik-]].^(AHD 2024) The verb, recorded from 1447, was formed from the noun,^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) probably partly after Anglo-Norman and Middle French [[m|frm|prejudicier|t=to be prejudicial to]] (1344 in legal use) and partly after [[m|la|praeiūdicō]].^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OED files its first quotation, c. 1300 in the life of Thomas Becket in the ''South English Legendary'', under the sense "preconceived opinion".^(OED 2026) Barnhart and Etymonline read the first uses, about 1300, as the phrase ''in prejudice of'', "to the detriment of, in contempt of", and as "despite, contempt".^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Weekley held that "harm, injury", the oldest sense in French, was also the oldest in English, and that it survives in [[prejudicial]] and ''without prejudice'', while the current sense was restored from the Latin, French using [[m|fr|préjugé]] for it.^(Weekley 1921) Harm or detriment resulting from a judgement or action, especially to a person's rights, is recorded from c. 1350, in William of Shoreham,^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) and harm in general from c. 1485 until 1790.^(OED 2026) The sense "previous or hasty judgement" Barnhart dates to about 1395, perhaps before 1387,^(Barnhart 1988) and Etymonline to the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) An instance of prejudice, a bias for or against something, is recorded from 1563,^(OED 2026)^(HTOED) and the word also meant a forecast (1560–98) and a judgement formed before due consideration (1583–1835).^(OED 2026) Johnson (1755) defined it as "prepossession; judgment formed beforehand without examination", used both in favour of a thing and against it.^(Johnson 1755) In modern use it has narrowed to unreasoned dislike or hostility, especially towards a group of people.^(OED 2026)^(Collins 2023) American intelligence jargon gave ''terminate with extreme prejudice'', "to assassinate", recorded from 1969;^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002) Etymonline dates it to 1972.^(Etymonline) The verb first meant to impair or damage (1447), then to judge beforehand (1570–1642); since 1610 it has meant to fill someone with prejudice;^(OED 2026)^(HTOED) Etymonline dates the last sense to about 1600.^(Etymonline) In Cornwall dialect the noun meant a quarrel.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – first recorded, in the OED as “preconceived opinion”.^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1350 – harm or detriment, especially to a person's rights.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)

+ * about 1395 – a previous or hasty judgement.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1447 – verb: to affect adversely, impair.^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1563 – an instance of prejudice; a bias.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1610 – verb: to fill with prejudice.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1969 – ''terminate with extreme prejudice'', to assassinate.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An opinion formed beforehand, especially an unfavourable one, not based on reason, knowledge or experience.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Unreasoning dislike of or hostility towards a group of people, especially on grounds of [[race]] or [[religion]]; the [[discrimination]] that results.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # A particular [[bias]] or preference: ''He had a prejudice against anything printed in red.''^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)

+ # (law) Harm or disadvantage to a person's rights, as in ''without prejudice'' and ''to the prejudice of''.^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To give someone a prejudice; to bias their judgement beforehand: ''The press coverage may prejudice the jurors.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # To harm or [[impair]], especially a right, claim or case.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[prejudicedly]]

+ * [[prejudiceless]]

+ * [[prejudicious]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prejudge]]

+ * [[prejudiced]]

+ * [[judge]]

+ * [[prejudicial]]

+ * [[judicial]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}