prej·u·dice

[prej-uh-dis] noun, verb, prej·u·diced, prej·u·dic·ing.
noun
1.
an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.
2.
any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.
3.
unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group.
4.
such attitudes considered collectively: The war against prejudice is never-ending.
5.
damage or injury; detriment: a law that operated to the prejudice of the majority.
verb (used with object)
6.
to affect with a prejudice, either favorable or unfavorable: His honesty and sincerity prejudiced us in his favor.
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to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about.
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Idioms
7.
without prejudice, Law. without dismissing, damaging, or otherwise affecting a legal interest or demand.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French < Latin praejūdicium prejudgment, orig. preliminary or previous judicial inquiry, equivalent to prae- pre- + jūdicium legal proceedings, judging (jūdic-, stem of jūdex judge + -ium -ium)

Related forms
prej·u·diced·ly, adverb
prej·u·dice·less, adjective
non·prej·u·diced, adjective
qua·si-prej·u·diced, adjective

Can be confused: prejudiced, prejudicial.

Synonyms
2. preconception, partiality, predilection, predisposition. See bias. 6. bias, influence.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
prejudice (ˈprɛdʒʊdɪs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
1.  an opinion formed beforehand, esp an unfavourable one based on inadequate facts
2.  the act or condition of holding such opinions
3.  intolerance of or dislike for people of a specific race, religion, etc
4.  disadvantage or injury resulting from prejudice
5.  to the prejudice of to the detriment of
6.  law without prejudice without dismissing or detracting from an existing right or claim
 
—vb
7.  to cause to be prejudiced
8.  to disadvantage or injure by prejudice
 
[C13: from Old French préjudice, from Latin praejūdicium a preceding judgment, disadvantage, from prae before + jūdicium trial, sentence, from jūdex a judge]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

prejudice
late 13c., from O.Fr. prejudice (13c.), from M.L. prejudicium "injustice," from L. præjudicium "prior judgment," from præ- "before" + judicium "judgment," from judex (gen. judicis) "judge." The notion is of "preconceived opinion;" the verb meaning "to affect or fill with prejudice" is from
c.1610.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

prejudice definition


A hostile opinion about some person or class of persons. Prejudice is socially learned and is usually grounded in misconception, misunderstanding, and inflexible generalizations. In particular, African-Americans have been victims of prejudice on a variety of social, economic, and political levels. (See civil rights movement and segregation.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences
They need to be taught that intolerance and prejudice is dangerous.
No wonder the prejudice surrounding them is so high.
Science is merely another authority sometimes invoked to validate personal
  prejudice.
The prejudice seems based on fear.
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