boycott (English)
Where does "boycott" come from?
The English verb 'boycott' is an eponym derived from the name of Charles Boycott[1]. He was an English land agent working in Ireland who faced a campaign of organized social and economic ostracism initiated by the Irish Land League in 1880[1]. The term quickly moved from referring to this specific event to describing the broader practice of abstaining from dealings with an individual or organization as a form of protest[1].
Full etymology tree
- boycott (English), 'To abstain, either as an individual or a group, from using, buying, or dealing with someone or some organization as an expression of protest.'
- derived Charles Boycott (English)
Descendants and derived words
- 杯葛 (Chinese)
- bojkotovat (Czech)
- boycottable (English)
- boycottage (English)
- boycottee (English)
- boycotter (English)
- boycottworthy (English)
- buycott (English)
- buycott (English)
- girlcott (English)
- girlcott (English)
- nonboycotted (English)
Sources
Updated August 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris