Xenophobia denotes fear of strangers or of the unknown and comes from the Greek words ξένος (xenos), meaning "foreigner," "stranger," and φόβος (phobos), meaning "fear." The term is typically used to describe fear or dislike of foreigners, but racism in general is sometimes described as a form of xenophobia. Xenophobia implies a belief, accurate or not, that the target is in some way alien. Prejudice against women cannot be considered xenophobic in this sense, except in the limited case of all-male clubs or institutions.

The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition ("DSM-IV") includes in its description of a phobia an "intense anxiety" which follows exposure to the "object of the phobia, either in real life or via imagination or video..." For xenophobia there are two main objects of the phobia. The first is a population group present within a society, which is not considered part of that society. Often they are recent immigrants, but xenophobia may be directed against a group which has been present for centuries. This form of xenophobia can elicit or facilitate hostile and violent reactions, such as mass expulsion of immigrants, or in the worst case, a pogrom.

The second form of xenophobia is primarily cultural, and the object of the phobia is cultural elements which are considered alien. All cultures are subject to external influences, but cultural xenophobia is often narrowly directed, for instance at foreign loan words in a national language. It rarely leads to aggression against persons, but can result in political campaigns for cultural or linguistic purification. Isolationism, a general suspicion of foreign governments and states, is not accurately described as xenophobia.

See also

• afrophobia
• anti-Semitism
• anti-Polonism (otherwise "Polonophobia")
• genocide
• homophobia
• sinophobia
• transphobia
• christianophobia
• islamophobia