Misanthrope: meaning, definitions and examples

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misanthrope

 

[ ˈmɪs(ə)nˌθrəʊp ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

person who dislikes humankind

A misanthrope is someone who has a general dislike, distrust, or hatred of the human species. Misanthropes often avoid social interactions and prefer solitude. They may believe that humans are selfish, cruel, or foolish.

Synonyms

cynic, hermit, recluse, skeptic

Examples of usage

  • He lived as a misanthrope, rarely leaving his house or interacting with others.
  • The character in the novel was portrayed as a misanthrope, always criticizing society and its values.

Translations

Translations of the word "misanthrope" in other languages:

🇵🇹 misantropo

🇮🇳 मानवद्वेषी

🇩🇪 Misanthrop

🇮🇩 misantrop

🇺🇦 мізантроп

🇵🇱 mizantrop

🇯🇵 人間嫌い (にんげんぎらい)

🇫🇷 misanthrope

🇪🇸 misántropo

🇹🇷 misanthrop

🇰🇷 인간 혐오자 (ingan hyeomoja)

🇸🇦 كاره البشر

🇨🇿 misantrop

🇸🇰 mizantrop

🇨🇳 厌世者 (yànshìzhě)

🇸🇮 mizantrop

🇮🇸 mannhatari

🇰🇿 адамзатқа жеккөрінішті

🇬🇪 მიზანტროპი

🇦🇿 misantrоp

🇲🇽 misántropo

Etymology

The word 'misanthrope' has its origins in Greek, where 'misos' means 'hatred' and 'anthropos' means 'human being'. The concept of misanthropy has been present in literature and philosophy for centuries, with famous misanthropic characters such as Timon of Athens in Shakespeare's play and the title character in Molière's comedy 'The Misanthrope'. Misanthropy is often used as a theme to explore human nature, society, and relationships.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #34,751 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.