bigot

Definition of bigot

Etymology

From French bigot (“a bigot, hypocrite”), from Middle French, from Old French bigot, a derogatory term applied to Normans for their frequent note of the Old English oath bī god "by God".

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈbɪɡət/, SAMPA: /"bIg@t/, enPR: bĭgʹət

Noun

bigot (plural bigots)

1. One who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices.
2. One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.

Further reading

A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs. The predominant usage in modern English refers to persons hostile to those of differing sex, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs or spirituality, nationality, language, inter-regional prejudice, gender and sexual orientation, age, homelessness, various medical disorders particularly behavioral disorders and addictive disorders. Forms of bigotry may have a related ideology or world views.

Etymology

The origin of the word bigot and bigoterie (bigotry) in English dates back to at least 1598, via Middle French, and started with the sense of "religious hypocrite". The exact origin of the word is unknown, but it may have come from the German bei and Gott, or the English by God. William Camden wrote that the Normans were first called bigots, when their Duke Rollo, who when receiving Gisla, daughter of King Charles, in marriage, and with her the investiture of the dukedom, refused to kiss the king's foot in token of subjection - unless the king would hold it out for that specific purpose. When being urged to do it by those present, Rollo answered hastily "No, by God", whereupon the King, turning about, called him bigot, which then passed from him to his people. This is quite probably fictional, as Gisla is unknown in Frankish sources. It is true, however, that the French used the term bigot to abuse the Normans.

The twelfth century Anglo-Norman author Wace claimed that bigot was an insult which the French used against the Normans, but it is unclear whether or not this is how it entered the English language.

According to Egon Friedell, "bigot" is of the same root as "Visigoth". In Vulgar Latin, the initial v transformed into b (a phenomenon today encountered in Iberian languages, such as Spanish and Portuguese; visi had truncated into bi in Vulgar Latin (a phenomenon common in French and Portuguese).

The French used to call the English les goddams after their favorite curse, Clément Janequin's "La Guerre" which is about the Battle of Marignano, similarly uses the Swiss German curse 'bigot', i.e. "by god!", in a context about the Protestant Swiss.