name-calling
name-calling noun: the use of derogatory labels in verbal attacks on a person or other entity. Also the present participle and gerund of name-call.
Noun
name-calling (countable and uncountable, plural name-callings)
- The use of derogatory labels in verbal attacks on a person or other entity.
- So inflammatory were the words of some preachers during these trying years that a resolution to silence, by mayoral proclamation, a continuation of name-calling from the pulpit was presented to the city council by one would-be pacifier.1940, Bessie Louise Pierce, A History of Chicago, volume 2, page 389
- The next day things got heated in the schoolyard as the name calling began. It was three against one.2011, Mike Mose, One Drop Too White, page 107
Also used as
name-calling is also the present participle and gerund of name-call.
name-calling meaning in Arabic
name-calling in Arabic
- abusive or insulting language
- تنابز بالألقاب
Forms of name-calling
| plural | name-callings |
|---|---|
| alternative form | name calling |
| alternative form | namecalling |
Origin of name-calling
From name + calling. Compare call names.
From name-call + -ing.
Questions about name-calling
- What does name-calling mean?
- Name-calling means the use of derogatory labels in verbal attacks on a person or other entity.
- What is name-calling in Arabic?
- Name-calling in Arabic is تنابز بالألقاب. See Name-calling meaning in Arabic.
- What part of speech is name-calling?
- Name-calling is a noun.
- What is the plural of name-calling?
- The plural of name-calling is name-callings.
Words near name-calling in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: name-calling (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Cite this entry: “name-calling.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/name-calling. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.