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racialism

Racism, the belief in the existence of different races and that some are superior to others; policies or practices which promote the dominance of one or more races over others.

/ɹˈeɪʃʌlɪzʌm/Documented since 1880sSilenthistorical196 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Etymology timeline

Born ~1882 · no dated citations yet
1882BornToday, 2026

Definitions

UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

Racism, the belief in the existence of different races and that some are superior to others; policies or practices which promote the dominance of one or more races over others.

For parents

"racialism" means: Racism, the belief in the existence of different races and that some are superior to others; policies or practices which promote the dominan.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"racialism" means: Racism, the belief in the existence of different races and that some are superior to others; policies or practices which promote the dominan.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

The belief that humans can be categorized as belonging to distinct races, each race being characterized by fixed and heritable traits.

Racialism is at the heart of nineteenth-century attempts to develop a science of racial difference, but it appears to have been believed by others—like Hegel, before then, and Crummell and many Africans since—who have had no interest in …
Origin: From . Coined in 1882 based on the older use of "race" as a synonym of "nation, tribe, ethnic group", later senses (from 1890) from the use of "race" for racial categories. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK

(British, dated) Tribalism, nationalism.

Yet such racialism was built upon the data of philology, inferring discrete racial groups from different speech varieties.
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For specific readers

"racialism" means: Racism, the belief in the existence of different races and that some are superior to others; policies or practices which promote the dominan.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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