Pariah

/pəˈraɪə/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A person who is rejected or ostracized by society or a specific social group.

After the scandal, he was seen as a pariah in his community.

A member of a low caste in India, historically considered outside of the traditional caste system.

In ancient times, the pariahs faced severe discrimination and exclusion.

Someone who is despised or avoided.

She felt like a pariah after her unpopular opinion led to a heated argument.

From Hindi 'pāriha', originally denoting a 'drummer' or 'outcast'.

social pariah

A person who is excluded from social acceptance.

cast out like a pariah

To be rejected completely by society or a group.

outcast

A person who has been rejected by society or a social group.

exile

A person who is banned from their native country.

untouchable

A member of a low caste in India, often associated with work deemed impure.

A person who is not accepted in mainstream society.

He's been acting like a total pariah since he got kicked off the team.

Someone who feels alienated from social groups.

Ever since the incident, she's been a pariah among her friends.