stigmatize

To stigmatize is to make something seem bad or disgraceful.

(verb)

When you condemn a certain type of behavior as bad or wrong, this is an example of a time when you stigmatize the behavior.

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See stigmatize in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb stigmatized, stigmatizing

  1. to mark with a stigma, stigmas, or stigmata
  2. to characterize or mark as disgraceful

Origin: ML stigmatizare: see stigma & -ize

Related Forms:

See stigmatize in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb stig·ma·tized, stig·ma·tiz·ing, stig·ma·tiz·es
  1. To characterize or brand as disgraceful or ignominious.
  2. To mark with stigmata or a stigma.
  3. To cause stigmata to appear on.

Origin:

Origin: Medieval Latin stigmatizāre, to brand

Origin: , from Greek stigmatizein, to mark

Origin: , from stigma, stigmat-, tattoo mark; see stigma

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Related Forms:

  • stigˌma·ti·zaˈtion (-tĭ-zāˈshən) noun
  • stigˈma·tizˌer noun

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