Meanings
nounmisanthrope (plural misanthropes)
plural misanthropes
- One who has a negative view of the entire human race.
Alas, poor Dean! his only scope Was to be held a misanthrope.
1731, Jonathan Swift, On the Death of Jonathan Swift1 more example
I cannot love evergreens—they are the misanthropes of nature. To them the spring brings no promise, the autumn no decline; they are cut off from the sweetest of all ties with their kind—sympathy.
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter V, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 50 - Someone who distrusts or avoids other people.
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
Opposite
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From Ancient Greek from μισέω (miséō, “I hate”) and ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos, “man; human”); compare miser.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek μισάνθρωπος
- μισάνθρωπος (misánthrōpos)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
Basque misantropo
- misantropoone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Bulgarian човекомра́зец, мизантро́п
- човекомра́зец (čovekomrázec)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- мизантро́п (mizantróp)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- мизантро́пка (mizantrópka)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- човеконенави́стник (čovekonenavístnik)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- човеконенави́стница (čovekonenavístnica)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
Catalan misantrop
- misantropone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Czech mizantrop, mizantropka
- mizantropone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- mizantropkaone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Danish misantrop
- misantropone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Dutch misantroop, mensenhater
- misantroopone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- mensenhaterone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Esperanto mizantropo
- mizantropoone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Finnish ihmisvihaaja, misantrooppi
- ihmisvihaajaone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- misantrooppione who has a negative view of the entire human race
French misanthrope
- misanthropeone who has a negative view of the entire human race
German Misanthrop, Misanthropin
- Misanthropone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- Misanthropinone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- Menschenhasserone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- Menschenhasserinone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- Menschenfeindone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- Menschenfeindinone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Greek μισάνθρωπος
- μισάνθρωπος (misánthropos)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
Hungarian mizantróp, embergyűlölő
- mizantrópone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- embergyűlölőone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Irish míchaidreamhach
- míchaidreamhachone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Italian misantropo, misantropa
- misantropoone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- misantropaone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Korean 사람을 싫어하는 사람
- 사람을 싫어하는 사람 (saram-eul sireohaneun saram)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
Latvian mizantrops
- mizantropsone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Polish mizantrop, mizantropka
- mizantropone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- mizantropkaone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Portuguese misantropo
- misantropoone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Romanian mizantrop, mizantropă
- mizantropone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- mizantropăone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Russian человеконенави́стник, человеконенави́стница
- человеконенави́стник (čelovekonenavístnik)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- человеконенави́стница (čelovekonenavístnica)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- мизантро́п (mizantróp)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
Slovak mizantrop, mizantropka
- mizantropone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- mizantropkaone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Spanish misántropo, misántropa
- misántropoone who has a negative view of the entire human race
- misántropaone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Swedish misantrop
- misantropone who has a negative view of the entire human race
Ukrainian людиноненави́сник, людиноненави́сниця
- людиноненави́сник (ljudynonenavýsnyk)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- людиноненави́сниця (ljudynonenavýsnycja)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- мізантро́п (mizantróp)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- мізантро́пка (mizantrópka)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- людонена́висник (ljudonenávysnyk)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- людонена́висниця (ljudonenávysnycja)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- чоловіконена́видник (čolovikonenávydnyk)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
- чоловіконена́видниця (čolovikonenávydnycja)one who has a negative view of the entire human race
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with misanthrope
hopescopesoappoperopenopetaupelopopegropelopetopetropeelopemopechopeagropeaslopededopeforlorn hopeinterlopeno-scope
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
misanthrope. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misanthrope
MLA
“misanthrope.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misanthrope. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “misanthrope,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misanthrope.
Source: misanthrope on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.