Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
adj
Possessing or conforming to the correct political positions; following the official policies of the government or a political party.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: dogmatic, orthodox
Antonyms: heretical, unorthodox, politically incorrect
adj
Sensitive to giving offense on the grounds of race, sex, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: derogatory, idiomatic, sometimes
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Stereotypically left-wing; possessing or conforming to stereotypical left-wing social views.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: derogatory, idiomatic
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: right-on
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To modify in a way that is considered more respectful to minorities.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To modify in a way that conforms more to the official position of a government or political party.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective
exhibiting political correctness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
The earliest known attestation occurs in the United States in the late 18th century, in response to a toast made to the United States instead of to the people of the United States. In the early twentieth century the term was associated with the dogmatic application of Stalinist and Communist Party doctrine, and later popularized by Mao Zedong in his essay Where Do Correct Ideas Come From?(1963) which equated “correct” with “the disciplined acceptance of a party line”. In the 1970s it was adopted by wider left-wing politics. The first known use in this sense was by Toni Cade in her anthology The Black Woman (1970). It was subsequently used in a statement by Karen DeCrow in December 1975 in her capacity as president of the National Organization for Women. In the 1980s it acquired the pejorative sense when used to mock conformist liberal academics, their stereotypical political views and alleged attempts to control language.
Across languages
42 source translations are retained for this English entry.
