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Definition of racism

racism

/ˈreɪsɪzəm/
ra · cism
Adverb:racially
•
Plural:racisms
•
Adjective:racist
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racism Lexical Profile

racism Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.

Example

"The civil rights movement sought to dismantle laws that enforced institutional racism across the country."

2

The belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another.

Example

"Historians have documented how nineteenth-century pseudo-scientific theories were used to justify racism."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for racism
Antonyms
View all antonyms for racism

• Nearby Words

racily
raciness
racing
racism
racist
rack
racket

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the early 20th century from the noun 'race' and the suffix '-ism', partially superseding the earlier 19th-century term 'racialism'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Racism. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/racism
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