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prejudice

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Prejudice
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prej⋅u⋅dice

  [prej-uh-dis] noun, verb, -diced, -dic⋅ing.
Use prejudice in a Sentence
–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, esp. 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.
—Idiom
7. without prejudice, Law. without dismissing, damaging, or otherwise affecting a legal interest or demand.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME < OF < L praejūdicium prejudgment, orig. preliminary or previous judicial inquiry, equiv. to prae- pre- + jūdicium legal proceedings, judging (jūdic-, s. of jūdex judge + -ium -ium )

Related forms:
prej⋅u⋅diced⋅ly, adverb
prej⋅u⋅dice⋅less, adjective

Synonyms:
2. preconception, partiality, predilection, predisposition. See bias. 6. bias, influence.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Prejudice
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prej·u·dice   (prěj'ə-dĭs)   
n.  

    1. An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts.

    2. A preconceived preference or idea.

  2. The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived judgments or convictions. See Synonyms at predilection.

  3. Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion.

  4. Detriment or injury caused to a person by the preconceived, unfavorable conviction of another or others.

tr.v.   prej·u·diced, prej·u·dic·ing, prej·u·dic·es

  1. To cause (someone) to judge prematurely and irrationally. See Synonyms at bias.

  2. To affect injuriously or detrimentally by a judgment or an act.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin praeiūdicium : prae-, pre- + iūdicium, judgment (from iūdex, iūdic-, judge; see deik- in Indo-European roots).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

prejudice

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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Word Origin & History

prejudice  (n.)
c.1290, 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 1610.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: prej·u·dice
Pronunciation: 'pre-j&-d&s
Function: noun
Etymology: Old French, from Latin praejudicium previous judgment, damage, from prae- before + judicium judgment
1 : injury or detriment to one's legal rights or claims (as from the action of another): as a : substantial impairment of a defendant's ability to defend prejudice to the defendant by the lengthy delay in bringing charges> b : tendency for a decision on an improper basis (as past conduct) by a trier of fact prejudice to the defendant —National Law Journal> c : implied waiver of rights and privileges not explicitly retained prejudice to prisoner's complaint for injunctive relief —National Law Journal>
2 : a final and binding decision (as an adjudication on the merits) that bars further prosecution of the same cause of action or motion prejudice> prejudice>
3 a : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics prejudice per se —Railroad H. Bork> b : an attitude or disposition (as of a judge) that prevents impartiality prejudice…against him —U.S. Code>

Main Entry: prejudice
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -diced; -dic·ing
1 : to injure or damage the rights of by some legal action or prejudice prejudiced by a joinder of offenses —Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 14>
2 : to injure or damage (rights) by some legal action or prejudice prejudiced his right to a fair trial> prejudice other rights>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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