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racist

racist

176 5.4
A person who dislikes or treats people of other races unfairly
  • noun
  • /ˈreɪsɪst/
  • Offensive
translation icon : racista
  • He was labeled a racist after expressing views that discriminated against minorities.
  • call someone a racist
  • label a racist
  • white racists

If I say you're a racist, what can you come back with?

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Examples

  • So one has to wonder: is a racist defined by his choice of words?

    Blog text (2)
  • We are dealing here with racists, pure and simple, racist.

  • This is what he does to provide cover for racist white people.

  • I feel as though White America has lied to me and made a racist of me.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Franklin, however, did not act the part of a racist in this instance.

    Academic text (2000)
  • If I say you're a racist, what can you come back with?

  • When one student demanded that he answer whether or not he was a racist, Mr. Spencer dismissed the question.

    Academic text (2016)
  • I'm not going to tell you that there are no racists on the Police Department.

  • Unfortunately, the Times exit poll did not probe why voters believed Duke was still a racist.

    Academic text (2005)
  • So Tony was was really, you know, a virulent racist and xenophobe.

Synonyms

supremacist
vsracist
  • Offensive
63 8.6

A person who believes one race is better than others and wants that race to have power

focuses on belief and prejudice rather than promoting dominance
racialist
vsracist
  • Offensive
4 9.3

A person who thinks one race is better than others

is the common everyday label for the same belief and prejudice

Antonyms

1 4.1

Opposes racism and acts to make life fair for people of different races

Compounds

racist attitude
  • Offensive
1 6.1

A belief or feeling that people of a different race are worse and should be treated unfairly

How Racist

supremacist
  • Offensive
63 8.6
racist
  • Offensive
176 5.4

Surface Forms

racist singular
racists plural

Morphology

racist = race (transparent) = race + ist

The noun denotes a person characterized by beliefs or actions regarding 'race' formed by the standard agent/affiliation suffix '-ist', which is straightforward for learners.

Etymology

The word racist comes from race (a word borrowed from French and Italian meaning 'group' or 'breed') and the ending -ist meaning 'a person who believes or supports something'. So, a racist is a person who thinks one race is better than others and acts on that belief, which is why the word means someone who discriminates or is prejudiced.