racial group

noun

plural racial groups
: any one of the groups that humans are often divided into based on physical traits regarded as common among people of shared ancestry : race entry 1 sense 1a
America's maternal mortality rate has more than doubled in the past generation, and researchers have shed new light on the disparities in racial groups.—Ron Southwick
Such suspicion is heightened by the zero-sum worldview shared by most nationalists, under which one ethnic or racial group can only gain at the expense of others.—Ilya Somin

Examples of racial group in a Sentence

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.
The Black homeownership rate, at 45%, is still lower than all other racial groups, according to census data. — Stephanie A. Dhuman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 This week, Levine Cava revealed a planned purge of the county staff working for volunteer Miami-Dade boards that promote diversity and activities aimed at different ethnic or racial groups. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of racial group was in 1873

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Racial group.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racial%20group. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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