stigma
Other forms: stigmas
If something has a negative association attached to it, call this a stigma. Bed-wetting can lead to a social stigma for a six-year-old, while chewing tobacco might have the same effect for a sixty-year-old.
Stigma, from the Greek word of the same spelling meaning "mark, puncture," came into English through Latin to mean a mark burned into the skin to signify disgrace. It did not take long for stigma to be used figuratively, as it is commonly used today, for the negative stereotype or reputation attached to something. If a politician is caught taking bribes, she might resign because of the stigma.
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a symbol of disgrace or infamy
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types:
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demerit
a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually given in school or armed forces
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bar sinister, bend sinister
a mark of bastardy; lines from top right to bottom left
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cloven foot, cloven hoof
the mark of Satan
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type of:
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symbol
an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
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demerit
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a skin lesion that is a diagnostic sign of some disease
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the apical end of the style where deposited pollen enters the pistil
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type of:
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reproductive structure
the parts of a plant involved in its reproduction
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reproductive structure
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an external tracheal aperture in a terrestrial arthropod
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type of:
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spiracle
a breathing orifice
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spiracle
/ˈstɪgmə/
/ˈstɪgmə/
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A paragraph of text
Copy citationVocabulary lists containing stigma
In this nonfiction story of America, the authors recount the struggles of key African Americans in the country's march towards the equality and justice promised by the Constitution.
In this memoir, the author reveals how she and her twin sister survived the physical and emotional effects of a rare disfiguring condition called Crouzon Syndrome.
This list of warm-up words features common words on the test that you're probably familiar with. Brush up on these words first to make sure that you start off strong while taking the GRE.
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