Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to race or races: Pertaining to the concept of race as a social or biological categorization of humans.
   • Arising from or based on differences among racial groups: Describing phenomena, characteristics, or conflicts that originate from perceived racial distinctions.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The study examines racial demographics in urban areas.
  • She is a leading scholar in racial studies.
  • Laws were enacted to prevent racial discrimination in hiring.

Advanced Usage

• "Racial identity": A person's sense of belonging to a particular race or racial group.
  • Exploring one's racial identity can be a complex personal journey.
• "Racial profiling": The use of race or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting someone of having committed an offense.
  • The policy was criticized for encouraging racial profiling by police.

Variants and Related Words

• Racially (adverb): In a way that relates to race.
  • The city is racially diverse.
• Interracial (adjective): Involving different races.
  • They are an interracial couple. (Note: This is a distinct compound word, not a variant of "racial" itself.)

Synonyms

• Ethnic: Relating to a population subgroup with a common national or cultural tradition. (Note: "Ethnic" and "racial" are related but not always synonymous, as "ethnic" often emphasizes cultural factors.)
• Ancestral: Of or belonging to inherited characteristics or lineage.

Related Phrases

• Racial harmony: A state of peaceful coexistence between different racial groups.
  • The community festival promotes racial harmony.
• Racial bias: Prejudice for or against a person or group based on their race.
  • The training aims to eliminate racial bias in the workplace.

Notes on Meaning

The term "racial" specifically pertains to the concept of race. It is crucial to distinguish it from related terms like "ethnic," which may encompass shared culture, language, or nationality, not solely perceived physical or biological traits. In contemporary academic and social discourse, "race" is widely understood as a social construct rather than a strict biological reality, and the adjective "racial" relates to this construct and its societal implications.

Adjective

1. of or characteristic of race or races or arising from differences among groups
   • racial differences
   • racial discrimination
2. of or related to genetically distinguished groups of people
   • racial groups