Meaning & use

ethnocentrism

noun·Academic

The tendency to judge other cultures by the standards and values of one's own culture.

See it in a sentence

Ethnocentrism led early colonizers to view unfamiliar customs as inferior or primitive.

Studying abroad helped reduce her ethnocentrism and appreciate other ways of living.

A note on using this word

Ethnocentrism is generally viewed as a bias to overcome, distinct from simple pride in one's own culture or heritage.

Words with a similar meaning

This term is best learned through its definition and examples.

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

cultural relativism

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