chauvinism

Borrowed from French chauvinisme (“idealistic devotion to Napoleon”), named for Nicolas Chauvin, a legendary and excessively patriotic soldier of the French First Republic. The figure of Chauvin became especially famous as a character in the play La Cocarde Tricolore by the Cogniard brothers.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈʃəʊ.vɪ.nɪ.zəm/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈʃoʊ.vɪˌnɪzəm/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈʃəʊ.və.nɪ.zəm/

chauvinism (countable and uncountable, plural chauvinisms)

1. (derogatory) Excessive patriotism, eagerness for national superiority; jingoism.

   (C. S.) Lewis occasionally expressed a somewhat tongue-in-cheek chauvinism towards the English. Describing an encounter with a fellow Irishman, he wrote: "Like all Irish people who meet in England, we ended by criticisms on the invincible flippancy and dullness of the Anglo-Saxon race.

2. (derogatory) Unwarranted bias, favoritism, or devotion to one's own particular group, cause, or idea.

   Feminists say that male chauvinism is still prevalent in cultures worldwide.

   • 1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Penguin Books (2014), page 312:

     “This is an outrageous example of unconscious racial chauvinism!” Jack said.

• jingoism

• chauvinist

• bigotry
• Chauvinism in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

From French chauvinisme.

chauvinism c

1. chauvinism

• chauvinist
• chauvinistisk

• chauvinism in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• chauvinism in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• chauvinism in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)