Definition of stigma

The origins of the word "stigma" can be traced back to ancient Greek, specifically as a term used in botany to describe a small mark or spots on the skin of a fruit, often indicating variation in quality. The word's meaning then evolved in its use in medieval Latin, where it referred to a mark, specifically a distinguishing mark branded onto the skin of a slave or criminal, marking them as an outcast. By the 16th century, the term's association with stigma broadened to encompass other marks, especially those of a religious or social nature, used to indicate a person's identity or affiliation (such as a strip of cloth or an insignia). In the early 20th century, psychiatrist and father of modern psychology, Sigmund Freud, popularized the term "stigma" to describe the social disapproval and shame experienced by people with mental health issues at a time when such disorders were misunderstood and highly stigmatized by society. Today, the term continues to be used in modern psychology, sociology, and related fields to describe the social disgrace or shame experienced by individuals as a result of an identifying characteristic or condition that sets them apart from the norm, as in the case of mental illness, physical deformity, disability, or sexual orientation.