Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A white supremacist hate group: The Ku Klux Klan is a secret society and organized hate group in the United States, historically and primarily targeting Black people, as well as other minorities, immigrants, and opponents.
   • A terrorist organization: It is characterized by its use of intimidation, violence, and terrorist tactics to promote its ideology of white supremacy and to suppress racial and social groups.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Ku Klux Klan was formed after the Civil War.
  • Historians study the impact of the Ku Klux Klan on American society.
  • The group's activities are widely condemned.

Advanced Usage

• "Klan": Often used as a shortened, informal reference to the Ku Klux Klan.
  • The senator denounced the rhetoric of the Klan.
• "Klan activity": Refers to actions, rallies, or violence perpetrated by the group.
  • The town has a history of Klan activity.

Variants and Related Words

• Klansman (n): A (male) member of the Ku Klux Klan.
  • A former Klansman testified at the trial.
• Klavern (n): A local chapter or branch of the Ku Klux Klan.
  • The klavern met in secret.

Synonyms

• Hate group: An organization whose primary purpose is to promote animosity and hostility toward people of a particular race, religion, or other characteristic.
• White supremacist organization: A group that believes in and advocates for the superiority of white people.

Related Phrases

• To be associated with the Klan: To have links or membership in the organization.
  • The politician was accused of being associated with the Klan in his youth.
• Klan robe and hood: The characteristic white robes and pointed hoods worn by members to conceal their identities.
  • The museum displayed a Klan robe and hood as a historical artifact.

Notes on Meaning

This term refers specifically to the named organization. Its ideology and actions are central to its definition. The group has existed in distinct historical "waves" or iterations, notably in the 1860s-1870s, the 1910s-1920s, and during the Civil Rights movement of the mid-20th century. Modern references may be to small, fragmented groups that use the name. The term is always treated as a singular proper noun (e.g., The Ku Klux Klan is...).

Noun

1. a secret society of white Southerners in the United States; was formed in the 19th century to resist the emancipation of slaves; used terrorist tactics to suppress Black people