ENGLISH
REFERENCE

racist

n. · adj.
US //ˈɹeɪsɪst// UK //ɹˈeɪsɪst// racist
  1. 1 a person with racial prejudice (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    someone who believes that some races are better than others or who treats people unfairly because of their skin colour.

    an individual who advocates for or practises discrimination based on the belief that certain races possess distinct characteristics that make them superior.

    Example

    The politician was widely criticised after he was revealed to be a racist.

    Example

    Sociologists distinguish between an individual who is an overt racist and the broader structures of systemic inequality that persist in society.

    Usage

    The noun is countable and often used as a strong pejorative.
  2. 2 showing racial prejudice (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    describing a comment, law, or action that is unfair to people of a certain race.

    constituting, exhibiting, or pertaining to racism or racial prejudice.

    Example

    She decided to leave the company because of the racist jokes her boss made.

    Example

    The court ruled that the hiring policy was inherently racist as it disproportionately excluded candidates from specific ethnic backgrounds.

    Usage

    Commonly modifies nouns like 'comment', 'policy', 'attitude', or 'remark'.
Origin

1932 (noun), 1938 (adjective). Formed from racism (1928), paralleling French raciste (1892). Replaced older racialist (1910). Equivalent to race + -ist.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 19, 2026