What does antiwhite mean?
Antiwhite is an adjective describing attitudes, statements, policies, or actions that are opposed to, hostile toward, or prejudiced against white people as a racial group. It belongs to a family of terms formed with the prefix 'anti-', which English borrowed from Greek and which denotes opposition or hostility to whatever follows it. The word appears almost exclusively in discussions of race, politics, and social commentary, where it is typically used to characterize rhetoric, media coverage, or institutional behavior perceived as discriminatory against white people. Because claims of antiwhite prejudice are themselves politically contested, the term carries strong connotations and is frequently deployed in heated debate rather than neutral description. Writers should be aware that style guides differ on whether to hyphenate the word ('anti-white' versus 'antiwhite'), though both forms are common in published usage.
adjectiveOpposed to, hostile toward, or prejudiced against white people as a racial group.
- Opposed to, hostile toward, or prejudiced against white people as a racial group.
"The commentator was widely criticized for remarks that many readers described as antiwhite."
"Critics accused the article of promoting an antiwhite narrative."
"He denied that his comments were antiwhite, insisting they were aimed at a specific policy rather than any ethnic group."
The 'anti-' prefix comes straight from ancient Greek, but here it's bolted onto one of the oldest words in the English language — 'white' traces back over a thousand years to Old English 'hwīt'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of antiwhite
The word combines the prefix 'anti-', derived from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against' or 'opposite', with 'white', an adjective of Germanic origin traceable to Old English 'hwīt' and related to similar words in other Germanic languages. Compound terms of the form 'anti-' plus a group name became a common pattern in English political vocabulary, particularly from the nineteenth century onward. The exact date 'antiwhite' first appeared in print is uncertain, but such formations gained visibility in late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century discourse on race and identity.
How antiwhite is actually used
Typically used in political and social commentary about race relations. The term is contested and emotionally charged; it is most often encountered in accusations of bias or in debates over whether such bias exists. Often written with a hyphen ('anti-white') in more formal editing styles, though the unhyphenated form is widespread.