YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

pariah

Noun

IPA /pəˈraɪə/

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Meaning in plain English

A person rejected or avoided by the group around them.

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Pronunciation

pariah/pəˈraɪə/

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A group socialises together
One person is rejected and excluded

A pariah is an outcast; use this potentially offensive label with care.

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Examples in context

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The novel shows how a false rumour turns the hero into a pariah.
The essay explores the treatment of a social pariah in the play.

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The novel shows how a false rumour turns the hero into a ________.

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pariah — A person rejected or avoided by the group around them.

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A person rejected or avoided by the group around them.

Compare: The novel shows how a false rumour turns the hero into a pariah.

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Word origin

Borrowed from Tamil paraiyar, the plural of a word meaning drummer and a historical community name.

Did you know?

Social pariah emphasises exclusion by other people.

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