white privilege

American  

[wahyt priv-uh-lij, priv-lij, hwahyt] / ˈwaɪt ˈprɪv ə lɪdʒ, ˈprɪv lɪdʒ, ˈʰwaɪt /

noun

1. the unearned and mostly unacknowledged societal advantage that members of the dominant white racial group have and members of nonwhite groups do not, separate from but compounding with wealth, income, class, education, and other demographic factors that form individual identities.

   One aspect of white privilege is never thinking about your race, because most things in society are designed with whiteness as the normal default.

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Etymology

Origin of white privilege

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Edelman tries to explain that even though he’s Jewish, he benefits quite regularly from white privilege.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2023

In it, Northam acknowledges specific instances in which he thinks white privilege boosted his career.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2022

This dialogue also tackles white privilege, but from a place of greater realism rather than scattershot satire.

From New York Times • Jul. 1, 2022

If anyone had "white privilege", it was surely me, a descendant of Caribbean slave owners.

From BBC • May 10, 2022

Tim Wise is an author, activist and leading expert on white privilege and racism.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2022