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
• tribal

Examples of racial in a Sentence

What is your racial identity?

There was racial tension on campus.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the racial order of the day also made these jobs, which were physically challenging to begin with, especially demeaning, humiliating, and fraught with danger. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 June 2025

California Fears of racial profiling rise as Border Patrol conducts ‘roving patrols,’ detains U.S. citizens June 15, 2025 Many of the workers were registered with IDEPSCA’s day laborer program. —Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025

There has been a significant increase in racial diversity across the 100,000 CFP® in the USA over the past few years. —David Rae, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

Whereas Biden sought to mend the nation’s racial divisions after the George Floyd protests, Trump built his revanchist second presidency on the demonization of diversity. —Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 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