1. discrimination or prejudice against deaf or hard-of-hearing people, or the belief that hearing ability is superior to deafness.
Usage: often used in discussions of disability rights and Deaf culture; the term parallels racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination

Examples

• The school's refusal to provide sign language interpreters was an example of audism.
• Audism in the workplace can prevent deaf employees from advancing in their careers.
• Many members of the Deaf community work to combat audism and promote acceptance.
• Assuming that all deaf people want to be 'fixed' through surgery reflects audism.
• Audism can occur even among well-meaning people who lack awareness of Deaf perspectives.