chau·vin·ism / ˈshōvəˌnizəm/ • n. exaggerated or aggressive patriotism. ∎  excessive or prejudiced loyalty or support for one's own cause, group, or gender: a bastion of male chauvinism.ORIGIN: late 19th cent.: named after Nicolas Chauvin, a Napoleonic veteran noted for his extreme patriotism, popularized as a character by the Cogniard brothers in Cocarde Tricolore (1831).

104. Chauvinism (See also Bigotry, Patriotism.)

1. Chauvin, Nicolas soldier who passionately admired Napoleon; whence, ultranationalism. [Fr. Hist.: NCE, 518]
2. Helmer, Torvald treats wife Nora as an inferior being. [Nor. Lit.: A Doll’s House ]
3. Jingo legendary second-century empress of Japan, victorious invader of Korea and hence the conjectural eponym of jingoism. [Jap. Hist.: EB (1963) XIII, 69]
4. Jingoes nickname of 19th-century English pro-war party. [Br. Hist.: EB (1963) XIII, 69]
5. male chauvinist pig denigrating designation for a man who treats women as inferiors. [Am. Pop. Culture: Misc.]

chauvinism bellicose patriotism. XIX. — F. chauvinisme, f. name of Nicolas Chauvin, a veteran of the First Republic and Empire, noted for demonstrative patriotism, and popularized as the name of a character in ‘La Cocarde tricolore’ (1831) by the brothers Cogniard; see -ISM.

chauvinism exaggerated or aggressive patriotism; excessive or prejudiced support or loyalty for one's own cause, group, or sex. The word dates from the late 19th century and is named after Nicolas Chauvin, a Napoleonic veteran noted for his extreme patriotism, popularized as a character by the Cogniard brothers in Cocarde Tricolore (1831).