race-blindly
|race-blind-ly|
/ˈreɪsˌblaɪndli/
(race-blind)
ignoring race
Etymology
'race-blindly' is a modern English formation combining 'race' + 'blind' + the adverbial suffix '-ly'. 'Race' entered English in the 16th century via French 'race' (from Italian 'razza'), where it referred to lineage or group; 'blind' comes from Old English 'blind' (Proto-Germanic *blindaz) meaning 'unable to see'; and '-ly' derives from Old English '-lic'/'-līċ', a Germanic suffix forming adverbs and adjectives.
'race' came into English from French 'race' (itself from Italian 'razza'); 'blind' has been in English since Old English as 'blind'; the adverbial suffix developed from Old English '-lic' to Middle English '-ly' and then modern '-ly'. These elements were combined in modern English to form the compound/adverb 'race-blindly'.
Initially the components had literal senses ('race' = group/lineage; 'blind' = unable to see). Over time, combined figuratively to mean 'not seeing or taking account of race'; the current usage includes both neutral senses (treating people without racial consideration) and critical senses (ignoring systemic racial context).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
without considering a person's race; treating people in a way that does not take race into account.
The organization claimed to evaluate candidates race-blindly to ensure equal opportunity.
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Adverb 2
in a manner that ignores structural or historical racial inequalities (often used critically to indicate overlooking systemic effects).
Some critics argue that implementing policies race-blindly can perpetuate past inequities by ignoring context.
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Last updated: 2025/11/18 00:15