nonracist
|non-ra-cist|
🇺🇸
/nɑnˈreɪsɪst/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˈreɪsɪst/
not racist
Etymology
'nonracist' originates from English, specifically formed from the prefix 'non-' and the word 'racist', where 'non-' meant 'not' and 'racist' meant 'one who believes in race-based superiority or discrimination'.
'racist' developed from the noun 'race' (late 16th century French 'race', from Italian 'razza'), with the agentive suffix '-ist' added in the 19th–20th century to form 'racist'; the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') was later attached to create the negative formation 'nonracist' in modern English.
Initially the components conveyed 'not' + 'racist' (that is, 'not showing or supporting racism'); over time the compound has retained that basic meaning and is used both descriptively (not racist) and as a label for people or policies.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who is not racist; someone who does not hold or act on racist beliefs.
She is a nonracist who treats colleagues from all backgrounds with respect.
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Antonyms
Adjective 1
not showing, based on, or supportive of racism; not discriminatory on the basis of race.
The organization promotes a nonracist approach to hiring and community work.
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Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/17 22:14