Here's what my dictionary has to say about the word:

bias |ˈbīəs|
noun
1 prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair : there was evidence of bias against foreign applicants | the bias toward younger people in recruitment | [in sing. ] a systematic bias in favor of the powerful.
• [in sing. ] a concentration on or interest in one particular area or subject : he worked on a variety of Greek topics, with a discernible bias toward philosophy.
• Statistics a systematic distortion of a statistical result due to a factor not allowed for in its derivation.

verb ( biased |ˈbaɪəst|, biasing |ˈbaɪəsɪŋ| or biassed, biassing)
1 [ trans. ] (usu. be biased) show prejudice for or against (someone or something) unfairly : readers said the paper was biased toward the conservatives | the tests were biased against women and minorities | [as adj. ] ( biased) a biased view of the world.
• influence unfairly to invoke favoritism : her well-rehearsed sob story failed to bias the jury.


Bias is a predisposition either for or against something; one can have a bias against police officers or a bias for French food and wines.

Partiality, on the other hand, is a favorable bias (: the partiality of parents for their own children; the partiality of Americans for fast food), while prejudice implies a preconceived and usually negative judgment or opinion (: a decision motivated by racial prejudice).

Bigotry is an even stronger term, referring to an intense dislike and often violent hatred for the members of a particular race, religion, or ethnic group.

Narrow-mindedness also points to rigidly preconceived ideas, but implies that they are the result of lack of education or understanding, rather than outright hostility (: her parents' narrow-mindedness prevented her from meeting any boys her age).

Parochialism is another term meaning excessive narrowness of mind (from “parochial,” pertaining to a parish or parishes; that is, concerned mainly about local issues), while provincialism is narrow-mindedness that results from lack of exposure to cultural or intellectual activity, characteristic of a province or non-urban area.

Intolerance is a broad term used to describe the inability to put up with almost anything (: parents' intolerance of their children's misbehavior).

I'm so tired of mental midgets flashing words they have heard but not fully understand.