Slur
noun /slɜːr/ — An insulting remark targeting someone's identity.
Definition
A derogatory or insulting term applied to a person on the basis of their identity — race, religion, sexuality, nationality, disability. Slurs carry historical weight: they are not simply insults but the language through which systematic dehumanization was conducted.
Beyond the definition
A slur is not just an insult — it is the deployment of a word that has been used to dehumanize, to exclude, to justify harm. The history of the word lands with the word itself.
Origin & history
From Middle Dutch 'sloor' (a slovenly person). The sense of 'derogatory term for a group' developed in the 20th century as identity-based discrimination became visible as a category.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Some slurs have been reclaimed by the communities they targeted — changed from weapon to identifier through collective redefinition.
The slur was heard in the recording — clearly, unmistakably — and the denial that followed collapsed the credibility of everything else.
Children who experience slurs remember them in detail decades later — the specific words, the specific moment.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Slur” when the meaning fits your context: A derogatory or insulting term applied to a person on the basis of their identity — race, religion, sexuality, nationality, disability. Slurs carry historical weight: they are not simply insults but the language through which systematic dehumanization was conducted.
Synonyms
epithet, insult, slander, derogatory term
Antonyms
compliment, respectful address
Related words
Slur vs epithet
A slur is a derogatory, often offensive term used to disparage a group. An epithet is a descriptive name or phrase that can be neutral, though it is frequently used negatively as a synonym for a slur.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Visualizing Exclusionary Dynamics
One adult stands tall and points while another looks down, visibly excluded from the room.
The visual exclusion and imbalance of power illustrate the mechanism behind the use of a slur: a deliberate, dehumanizing act meant to marginalize an identity and enforce an unequal status between the speaker and the subject.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Slur" mean?
Slur is noun meaning: An insulting remark targeting someone's identity.. A derogatory or insulting term applied to a person on the basis of their identity — race, religion, sexuality, nationality, disability. Slurs carry historical weight: they are not simply insults but the language through which systematic dehumanization was conducted.
Where does the word "Slur" come from?
From Middle Dutch 'sloor' (a slovenly person). The sense of 'derogatory term for a group' developed in the 20th century as identity-based discrimination became visible as a category.