3 syllables: Xe, no, phobe. Stress on Xe.
ZEN-uh-fohb
/ˈzɛnəˌfoʊb/
Xenophobe is pronounced ZEN-uh-fohb (/ˈzɛnəˌfoʊb/). It has three syllables (Xe-no-phobe), with the stress on "Xe". Xenophobe is a noun describing a person who harbors fear or hostility toward foreigners or strangers. It denotes a bias against people from other countries or cultures, and often accompanies discriminatory attitudes or actions. The term combines xen- (foreign) with -phobe (one who fears), highlighting a phobic or prejudiced stance rather than a rational concern.
nounXenophobe is a noun describing a person who harbors fear or hostility toward foreigners or strangers. It denotes a bias against people from other countries or cultures, and often accompanies discriminatory attitudes or actions. The term combines xen- (foreign) with -phobe (one who fears), highlighting a phobic or prejudiced stance rather than a rational concern.
How to Pronounce Xenophobe
"The political rally was criticized for its xenophobe rhetoric and exclusionary policies."
"A xenophobe in the office often avoids collaborating with colleagues who come from different backgrounds."
"Her xenophobe tendencies alarmed her friends, who urged her to pursue cross-cultural dialogue."
Xenophobe is pronounced as /ˈzɛnəˌfoʊb/ in US English and /ˈzɛnəˌfəʊb/ in UK English. The primary stress is on the first syllable, with a secondary stress on the second syllable. Start with the 'zen' like 'zen' plus a short 'o' in the second syllable, ending with 'b' as in 'robe'. Think: ZEN-uh-FOHB (US) or ZEN-uh-FOHB (UK).
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (treating it as a flat word), mispronouncing the second syllable as 'foh' with a long 'o' instead of a short 'uh' or schwa, and blending sounds too quickly so it sounds like one syllable. Correct by emphasizing the two-syllable rhythm: ZEN-uh-FOHB, keep the 'fo' portion as a separate syllable, and enunciate the final 'b' clearly.
In US and UK, the first syllable carries primary stress: ZEN-uh-. US tends to reduce the second syllable slightly and might sound 'fohb' with a tighter 'o' vowel; UK often uses a clearer 'oh' in the second syllable. Australian pronunciation mirrors UK patterns but may feature a broader vowel in the second syllable and less pronounced rhoticity. Fine-tune by listening to regional examples and matching the vowel quality to the accent.
Difficulties include the two-syllable rhythm with a clear 'uh' mid-vowel, the unstressed second syllable, and the ending 'phobe' sounding like 'fohb' with a voiced 'b'. The initial 'zen-' cluster can invite mispronunciations as 'zehn-oh' or 'zex-nuh'. Focus on the two-stress pattern and the close-front vowel in the first syllable, then the long 'o' or 'oh' in the second, before the final 'b'.
Unique aspect: the 'xen-' prefix yields a /z/ sound at the start rather than /ks/ in many words; the 'ene' can be heard as 'eh-nə' or 'ɛn-ə' depending on speaker. The 'ph' in -phobe represents the /f/ or /fo/ cluster, but here it blends into /foʊ/ or /fəʊ/ depending on accent. Remember the primary stress sits on the first syllable, guiding your mouth posture for the rest of the word.
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Xenophobe derives from the Greek elements xenos, meaning foreign or stranger, and phobos, meaning fear. The combining form xen- has ancient roots in medical and philosophical Greek, typically signaling foreignness or the unknown. The suffix -phobe is from phobos, used in English to denote fear or aversion, as in agoraphobe or claustrophobe. The term emerged in modern English during the 20th century amid debates on immigration, nationalism, and social prejudice, gaining currency in journalism and political discourse as a descriptor for individuals or attitudes hostile to foreigners. First known uses appear in scholarly and polemical writings that critique anti-immigrant sentiment, with the word increasingly appearing in media coverage and academic studies about xenophobia. Over time, xenophobe has acquired a loaded social charge, often used pejoratively to condemn overt bigotry, while also used descriptively in sociolinguistic research to categorize attitudes toward out-groups and foreign cultures. The word is now common in discussions of immigration policy, human rights, and social cohesion, functioning as a precise label for anti-foreigner bias in both individual and collective contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Xenophobe"
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