non-white

1 of 2

adjective

variants or less commonly nonwhite
1
: not of a white race (see race entry 1 sense 1a)
non-white immigrants
non-white Alaskans
2
: not of the color white
… I was standing at the very top of the ladder and stretching to paint over the last non-white spot on the ceiling …Xaver Bayer

non-white

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly nonwhite
plural non-whites also nonwhites
: a person who is not of a white race (see race entry 1 sense 1a)

Examples of non-white in a Sentence

Noun The program is even less popular among nonwhites.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Studies have shown that elderly people, women, and non-white people experience undertreatment of pain at a disproportionate rate. R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025 After all, although physically he is marked as non-white, Paddington dresses, acts, and speaks in ways marking him as truly English. Daniel Horowitz august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025 The non-white woman did not attend pool parties (was not invited), so instead thinks of walking on coals or fire walking, the feet never touching the hot surface long enough to burn. Weike Wang, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 In addition, America’s non-white population has almost doubled over the past four decades, growing from about 24% of the population in 1990 to over 40% in 2023. Nish Acharya, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for non-white

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of non-white was in 1806

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Non-white.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-white. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!