sexism

The word 'sexism' is a modern formation, coined in the mid-20th century during the rise of the feminist movement. It is modeled directly on the pattern of earlier terms like 'racism', substituting the core element 'race' with 'sex'. The suffix '-ism' is crucial, as it transforms the neutral concept of 'sex' into the name of a systemic prejudice or discriminatory practice. Thus, the term's logic is transparent: it literally means "the doctrine or prejudice based on sex," providing a precise label for a specific form of social bias by combining a familiar English noun with a highly productive classical suffix.

Structure: sex (biological category) + ism (doctrine or prejudice) - sex: From Latin sexus (state of being male or female, gender). In this compound, it functions as the base noun specifying the target of the prejudice. - ism: A suffix from Greek -ismos, via Latin -ismus, forming nouns of action, state, or doctrine, often denoting a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, frequently one that is prejudicial or discriminatory.