Other forms: stigmas
A stigma is the mark of shame society attaches to something. The stigma of mental illness, reduce the stigma, social stigma.
It is attached by others rather than deserved, and it is what stops people seeking help — reducing stigma is a stated aim of most mental health campaigns for exactly that reason. In botany, the stigma is the part of a flower that receives pollen. Stigmata are the wounds of the crucifixion. Note that the Greek means a mark branded on a slave.
1nounstigmaThe mark of shame society attaches to something.
“There is still a stigma attached to mental illness in many communities.”
2nounflowerThe part of a flower that receives pollen.
“The bee brushed pollen onto the stigma as it climbed into the flower.”
Too few real examples of this word to estimate which sense is commonest.
stigma is a mark of shame, or a flower part.
Greek stigma means a mark or brand, from stizein, to tattoo or prick. Stick and instigate come from the same pricking.
Proto-Indo-European
*(s)teyg-
Ancient Greek
στίγμα — mark of slavery or disgrace
Latin
stigma
English, today
stigma
Built from
From Latin stigma, from Ancient Greek στίγμα (“mark of slavery or disgrace”), from στίζω (“to mark”). Closely related to stigme, and distantly related to stick.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA