racism
/ˈɹeɪsɪzm̩/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.25 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The belief that there are distinct human races with inherent differences which determine their abilities, and generally that some are superior and others inferior.
Uncountable
noun
The policies, practices, or systems (e.g. government or political) promoting this belief or promoting the dominance of one or more races over others.
Uncountable
noun
Prejudice or discrimination based upon race or ethnicity; (countable) an action of such discrimination.
Uncountable
noun
An act that could be seen as racist, typically relatively harmless and/or unintentional.
Colloquial; Countable
Example Sentences
- "It is altogether inaccurate to suggest that Europe is being indoctrinated with Fascism or Racism."
- "He lost his racism when he worked with a black man in Chicago. He lost his homophobia when he was befriended and looked after by his gay neighbors, a doctor and a nurse, in Little Rock."
- "But other kinds of talk and text that are not visible, so called covert racist discourse, may be just as important in reproducing the culturally shared ideas that underpin racism."
- "Martin Luther King spoke out against racism."
- "In part, the answer is that racism extends considerably beyond prejudiced beliefs. The essential feature of racism is not hostility or misperception, but rather the defense of a system from which advantage is derived on the basis of race. The manner in which the defense is articulated – either with hostility or subtlety – is not nearly as important as the fact that it insures the continuation of a privileged relationship. Thus it is necessary to broaden the definition of racism beyond prejudice to include sentiments that in their consequence, if not in their intent, support the racial status quo."
- "In “Crazy for This Democracy” (1945), Hurston critiques the US government's racism at home and abroad, including its silence on the anticolonial movements in Africa."
Etymology
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈɹeɪsɪzm̩/