racial

adjective

ra·​cial ˈrā-shəl 

1

: of, relating to, or based on a race (see race entry 1 sense 1a)

a racial minority

2

: existing or occurring between races (see race entry 1 sense 1a)

racial equality

racially

ˈrā-shə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• ethnic
• ethnical

Examples of racial in a Sentence

What is your racial identity?

There was racial tension on campus.

Recent Examples on the Web

In August 2013, a federal judge dismissed the racial bias portion of Jackson's suit, though fallout from the admission had already deeply impacted Deen's career. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025

Safe Black SpaceSafe Black Space is the umbrella under which various services are offered to address people of African ancestry’s individual and community reactions to cultural and racial trauma. —Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 6 Sep. 2025

The latest court filing seeks to toss the entirety of his conviction, claiming that Tran appeared guided by implicit racial bias. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025

Topics range from public health, to cost of living and affordable housing, to racial demographics and how the loss of population has affected New Orleans’ political power and representation post-Katrina. —Essence, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

race entry 1 + -ial

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing racial

• post-racial

Rhymes for racial

• facial
• glacial
• spacial
• spatial
• bifacial
• biracial
• palatial
• postglacial
• preglacial
• subglacial
• craniofacial
• interfacial

Kids Definition

racial

adjective

ra·​cial ˈrā-shəl 

: of, relating to, or based on race

racially

-shə-lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

racial

adjective

ra·​cial ˈrā-shəl 

: of, relating to, or based on a race