homophobe
Meaning
A person who has an extreme and irrational fear of or prejudice against homosexual people.
Structure
Usage
He was labeled a homophobe after making a series of discriminatory comments.
The activist argued that the law was supported by homophobes.
Challenging homophobic attitudes is essential for creating an inclusive society.
Etymology
The term is a modern construction, first appearing in English in the latter half of the 20th century. It is formed by combining the Greek-derived prefix homo-, meaning "same", used here as a clipped form of "homosexual", with the suffix -phobe, derived from Greek phobos (fear, dread). The logic of the word follows the pattern of other terms like "xenophobe" or "Anglophobe", where -phobe denotes a person characterized by a strong aversion or hostility. Thus, a "homophobe" is literally "one who fears or is averse to homosexuals," with the meaning evolving from a literal "fear" to encompass broader prejudice and antagonism.
Analysis
homo: From Greek homos, meaning "same". In this compound, it is a combining form referring to homosexual. phobe: From Greek -phobos, meaning "fearing", from phobos (fear, panic). It functions as a noun-forming suffix denoting a person with a specific fear or aversion.