Definition

A person who does not belong to the white racial group, often referring to individuals from various ethnic backgrounds.

Example

In the discussion about diversity, the term 'nonwhite' is often used to include people from different racial and ethnic groups.

Conversation

I met someone interesting at the event last night.

Oh really? What were they like?

They talked about their experiences as a nonwhite person in our community.

That's cool! It's always good to hear different perspectives.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Nonwhite → It is formed from "non-" (meaning not) and "white" (from Old English "hwita", meaning bright or light in color). The word "nonwhite" refers to something that is not white in color.

Memory Tip

Think of 'non-' meaning 'not' and 'white' referring to the color — so nonwhite means not white.

Visually Confused Words