What does biracial mean?
"Biracial" is an adjective used to describe a person whose parents come from two different racial backgrounds, or more broadly a group or community made up of members of two races. It entered common usage in the United States in the twentieth century and became especially prominent in discussions of identity from the late twentieth century onward. The term is widely regarded as neutral and respectful, though many people prefer alternatives such as "mixed" or "multiracial," which can encompass more than two heritages; personal preference should guide its use when describing individuals. It is distinct from "interracial," which usually describes relationships or interactions across racial lines rather than a person's own mixed ancestry. The word carries particular cultural significance in countries like the United States, where official recognition of multiple-race identities — such as allowing respondents to select more than one race on the census — came only in 2000. Understanding "biracial" matters because it reflects how societies talk about heritage, belonging, and identity.
adjectiveRelating to or composed of members of two races, especially describing a person whose parents are of different races.
- Describing a person having parents or ancestors from two different races.
- Describing something (a group, community, family) composed of members of two races.
"She grew up navigating two cultures as a biracial child of a Japanese mother and an Irish-American father."
"Kamala Harris often speaks about her biracial heritage as the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother."
"The neighborhood was notably biracial, with Black and white families living side by side for generations."
The U.S. Census only allowed Americans to identify with more than one race starting in the year 2000 — before that, millions of biracial people had to pick just one box.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of biracial
The word "biracial" combines the prefix "bi-", from Latin meaning "two," with "racial," derived from "race." The English noun "race" in the sense of a group of humans sharing common physical or ancestral traits developed in the seventeenth to eighteenth centuries, drawing possibly on French "race" and earlier Romance sources of uncertain deeper origin. "Biracial" emerged as a compound adjective in the nineteenth century, initially used broadly to mean "of two races" before narrowing toward its modern sense describing individual mixed heritage. Its Latin-derived prefix links it to cognates such as "bilingual" and "bilateral."
How biracial is actually used
"Biracial" is standard and neutral in both American and British English. It is generally preferred over older terms like "mulatto," which is now considered dated and often offensive. Some style guides note that individuals may prefer terms like "mixed" or "multiracial," so context and personal preference matter when describing someone's background.
Easily confused with biracial
"Interracial" typically describes relationships, marriages, or interactions between people of different races, while "biracial" describes a single person of two-race heritage.