white
- adjective
- /waɪt/
- Offensive
- In South Africa, people of color waged the Defiance Campaign against apartheid and the white minority government.
- for white people only
- all-white
- restricted to white people
Examples
-
The documents even suggested the end of white control of the government.
Academic text (1996) -
The white zone is for white people only.
-
"Even though they honor me," he often said, "this is like a white country club."
Fiction book (1993) -
Hundreds of children were taken from their birth families and placed in white foster homes.
Fiction book (2002) -
On demand from the white parents, the black pupils were refused admission to the school.
Academic text (1997) -
The Mothers' League of Central High is leading the campaign to keep Central an all-white school.
Fiction book (2000) -
Living close to work in the factories was once an amenity restricted mainly to white Baltimoreans.
Academic text (2008) -
The school was criticized for its policy that allowed admission only to white students.
-
In the past, many restaurants had signs that stated they served only white patrons.
-
The organization faced backlash for organizing events that were exclusively for white attendees.
Synonyms
A group or place that allows only white people and excludes others
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
To try to reach a very difficult or impossible goal for a long time
- Slur
People say it when something seems typical of white people and shows white privilege
Compounds
The government building in Washington, D.C. where the US president lives and works
- Offensive
A person who thinks white people are better than other races and should control society
- Slur
An insulting word for poor white people, especially in the southern United States
- Offensive
The belief that white people are better than people of other races and should control society
- Specialized
A steady sound made of all tones that hides other sounds and helps people sleep
- Specialized
Tissue in the brain and spinal cord that carries messages between different brain areas
- Specialized
A small, very dense star that remains after a star uses its fuel and glows with leftover heat
A pale, silver-coloured metal that people make by mixing gold with other metals for jewellery
A light-colored spice that comes from ripe peppercorns with their skins removed and has a milder taste than black pepper
- Archaic
A printed list of people's names and home phone numbers in alphabetical order
A North American deer with a white underside to its tail that it raises when scared
- Offensive
A person who wants white people to live apart from people of other races
- Formal
A very formal men's evening dress code requiring a white bow tie and tailcoat
A white person with British family background who follows Protestant Christianity and is often from a socially important group
- Informal
An expensive thing that costs a lot to keep and is more trouble than it is worth
- Slur
A white man, often middle-aged or older, who feels very upset and bitter about social change
Surface Forms
Etymology
White used for segregated places comes from the same label for people with light skin and the practice of naming areas 'white-only'. So this harsh use simply follows the color label to mark who was allowed there.