Definition: Chauvinism is defined as conspicuous, excessive, or otherwise weird identification with one's own group, with hostility towards other groups. In the contemporary United States, it is nearly always used to refer to male chauvinists, men who believe that men as a group are inherently superior to women.
The term originally referred to extreme patriotism, dating back to the apocryphal life story of an 18th-century French soldier named Nicolas Chauvin who was reputed to have fought as a military partisan despite suffering a series of crippling and disfiguring injuries. The term "male chauvinism" was coined by feminists during the mid-20th century.
Few men would self-identify as chauvinists, but a number of men--exactly how many varies from poll to poll--openly hold chauvinistic views.
The term originally referred to extreme patriotism, dating back to the apocryphal life story of an 18th-century French soldier named Nicolas Chauvin who was reputed to have fought as a military partisan despite suffering a series of crippling and disfiguring injuries. The term "male chauvinism" was coined by feminists during the mid-20th century.
Few men would self-identify as chauvinists, but a number of men--exactly how many varies from poll to poll--openly hold chauvinistic views.
Pronunciation: "show-vehn-ism"
Also Known As: sexism (though this is not an exact synonym)
Common Misspellings: chauvenism
