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Glite Dictionary
non-WASPy root

non-WASPy root

9.9
A family background from a culture that is not White Protestant
  • noun
  • /nɒn ˈwɑːspi ruːt/
  • US
translation icon : orígenes no WASP
  • He takes great pride in his non-WASPy roots and family traditions.

Examples

  • The author often writes about characters with non-WASPy roots adapting to American society.

  • Many people celebrate their non-WASPy roots during cultural festivals.

  • Her non-WASPy root influenced the fusion of cuisines at the family dinner.

  • Her family has a strong non-WASPy root in Italy.

  • He takes great pride in his non-WASPy roots and family traditions.

  • Many people celebrate their non-WASPy roots during cultural festivals.

  • The author often writes about characters with non-WASPy roots adapting to American society.

How WASP

non-WASPy root
  • US
9.9
mixed-blood
  • Slur
2 8.2

Surface Forms

non-WASPy root singular
non-WASPy roots plural

Morphology

non-WASPy + roots

The meaning is compositionally derived: 'non-WASPy' negates a WASP-like cultural identity and 'roots' means origins, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer 'heritage/origins that are not WASP.' It is culturally specific (depends on knowing the acronym WASP), but given knowledge of the parts the sense is directly predictable rather than idiomatic.

Etymology

Non-WASPy root comes from combining non-WASPy (not like the old 'WASP' families) and root (like tree roots that show where a family comes from). So, it means 'a family background that is not from that white Protestant group'.