erasure

American  

[ih-rey-sher] / ɪˈreɪ ʃər /

noun

1. an act or instance of erasing.

2. a place where something has been erased; a spot or mark left after erasing.

   You can't sign a contract with so many erasures in it.

3. 1. the exclusion of a minority group or group member from the historical record, or from the discussion of current events: black victim erasure in the crime-bill debate.

      erasure of female scientists from textbooks;

      black victim erasure in the crime-bill debate.

   2. the replacement or whitewashing of a minority character or group with a member or members of the dominant cultural group in fictional representations of historical events.

      minority erasure in film.

   3. the denial of an individual’s or group’s minority identity, or the misidentification of a minority group member: cultural erasure and white identity among Chicanos.

      trans-erasure issues in the LGBT community;

      cultural erasure and white identity among Chicanos.

---

erasure British  

/ ɪˈreɪʒə /

noun

1. the act or an instance of erasing

2. the place or mark, as on a piece of paper, where something has been erased

---

Other Word Forms

• nonerasure noun

Etymology

Origin of erasure

First recorded in 1725–35; erase + -ure

Example Sentences

Critics say the change, though small in appearance, amounts to institutional erasure.

From Salon

Tulsa is a nexus for conversations about history erasure and racial tension, both of which feature heavily in the show’s emerging subplots.

From Salon

This erasure of parental influence continued throughout the oral arguments.

From Salon

Still, the point is made: Truth is a malleable thing, prone to erasure and distortion, yet we need it more than ever.

From Los Angeles Times

Gonzales-Day, through applying deft erasures, vivifies the wild and wicked record.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• deletion