racist

1 of 2

adjective

rac·​ist ˈrā-sist 

 also  -shist

: of, relating to, or characterized by racism: such as

a

: having, reflecting, or fostering the belief that race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

racist speech

racist views

a racist person

Over the last three years, there have been episodes of racist graffiti, jokes, anonymous hate notes or brawls at 175 campuses …

—Joseph Berger

The viciousness her liaison with Lennon inspired was virulently sexist, openly racist, and as ugly as ugly gets.

—Esquire

Racist violence against Romani in eastern Europe is reminiscent of pogroms against the Jews in the Tsarist Empire.

—Donald Kenrick

b

: of, relating to, or characterized by the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another

racist laws/policies

a racist society

In contrast, people of color in a racist system always face headwinds.

—Claire Gillespie

The History and Dictionary Meanings of Racism and Racist: Usage Guide

Racism and racist appear to be words of recent origin, with no citations currently known that would suggest these words were in use prior to the early 20th century. But the fact that the words are fairly new does not prove that the concept of racism did not exist in the distant past. Things may have words to describe them before they exist (spaceship, for instance, has been in use since the 19th century, well before the rocket-fired vessels were invented), and things may exist for a considerable time before they are given names (T-shirt does not appear in print until the 20th century, although the article of clothing existed prior to 1900). Dictionaries are often treated as the final arbiter in arguments over a word's meaning, but they are not always well suited for settling disputes. The lexicographer's role is to explain how words are (or have been) actually used, not how some may feel that they should be used, and they say nothing about the intrinsic nature of the thing named or described by a word, much less the significance it may have for individuals. When discussing concepts like racism, therefore, it is prudent to recognize that quoting from a dictionary is unlikely to either mollify or persuade the person with whom one is arguing.

racist

2 of 2

noun

plural racists

: a person who is racist : someone who holds the belief that race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

… anonymous racists, misogynists and bullies sowing … hatred and violence.

—Andrew Keen

Synonyms

Noun

• racialist
• supremacist

Examples of racist in a Sentence

Noun

a racist facing hate crime charges

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Tran, the first woman of color to lead the Star Wars franchise as Resistance fighter Rose Tico, has already had to endure more public scrutiny than most — namely, a deluge of racist and sexist harassment from toxic Star Wars fans. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025

Thursday’s virtual meeting, which was delayed for six hours after being hijacked by racist and pornographic images, was supposed to remedy those issues. —Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025

Noun

Even in opinion journalism, calling Trump a racist caused a debate in newsrooms for a decade. —Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2025

America elected a president who mocks the disabled; who is a blatant racist; who disrespects women; who denied there was a COVID pandemic as thousands of people died daily, and who openly told the country his plans of becoming a dictator. —Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

race entry 1 + -ist entry 2, perhaps after French raciste, adjective

Noun

race entry 1 + -ist entry 1, perhaps after French raciste, noun

First Known Use

Adjective

1923, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1919, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing racist

• anti-racist

Rhymes for racist

• bassist