racism

[ rey-siz-uhm ]

noun

1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.
2. Also called in·sti·tu·tion·al rac·ism [in-sti-, too, -sh, uh, -nl , rey, -siz-, uh, m, -, tyoo, -],. a policy, system of government, etc., that is associated with or originated in such a doctrine, and that favors members of the dominant racial or ethnic group, or has a neutral effect on their life experiences, while discriminating against or harming members of other groups, ultimately serving to preserve the social status, economic advantage, or political power of the dominant group.
3. an individual action or behavior based upon or fostering such a doctrine; racial discrimination.
4. racial or ethnic prejudice or intolerance.

racism

/ ˈreɪʃəˌlɪzəm; ˈreɪsɪzəm /

noun

1. the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others
2. abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of another race on the basis of such a belief

racism

1. The belief that some races are inherently superior (physically, intellectually, or culturally) to others and therefore have a right to dominate them. In the United States, racism, particularly by whites against blacks, has created profound racial tension and conflict in virtually all aspects of American society. Until the breakthroughs achieved by the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, white domination over blacks was institutionalized and supported in all branches and levels of government, by denying blacks their civil rights and opportunities to participate in political, economic, and social communities.

Usage Alert

See race ².

Derived Forms

• ˈracist, nounadjective

Other Words From

• rac·ist noun adjective
• an·ti·ra·cism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of racism¹

First recorded in 1900–05; from French racisme; race ², -ism

Example Sentences

Cosby conspiracy theorists share a perspective born of a long, pained history of American racism.

From The Daily Beast

One blames black Americans as a race; the other, racism as a social structure.

From The Daily Beast

The rule of law, you see, buckles, bends and sometimes crumbles under the weight of racism, sexism, and classism.

From The Daily Beast

They believe that these two people died because of a racism that permeates our society.

From The Daily Beast

And it was such casual racism by people in the halls of power.

From The Daily Beast

The rejection of black units could not always be ascribed to racism alone.

From Project Gutenberg

The Double V campaign against fascism abroad and racism at home achieved considerably less than the activists had hoped.

From Project Gutenberg

To achieve it they would have to fight the racism common in many segments of American society as well as bureaucratic inertia.

From Project Gutenberg

These men were probably blind to the racism implicit in their policies, a racism nurtured by military tradition.

From Project Gutenberg

Turning its back on the overt racism of some southern communities, the Army unwittingly exposed an example of racism in the west.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• apartheid
• bias
• bigotry
• discrimination
• segregation
• unfairness