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Luddite: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Luddite noun. A person who distrusts or resists new technology, especially at work.
How to say it
LUD-yte/ˈlʌdaɪt/
2 syllables, stressed on the first (LUD). Forms: Luddites.
Luddite in a sentence
I’m no Luddite, but I miss the days when the meeting room had a whiteboard and a pen that worked.
The staff who refused the new booking system were dismissed as Luddites.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- technophobe
- traditionalist
- reactionary
Opposite:
- early adopter
- technophile
Where Luddite comes from
After the Luddites, English textile workers who smashed new machines in 1811–16, supposedly led by one “Ned Ludd”.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The staff who refused the new booking system were dismissed as _____.
- Luddite
- bailiwick
- emolument
Show the answer
Luddite: The staff who refused the new booking system were dismissed as Luddites.