nonwhite

American  

[non-wahyt, -hwahyt] / nɒnˈwaɪt, -ˈʰwaɪt /

adjective

1. of or relating to a person or people who are not members of the sociocultural classification marked by slight pigmentation of the skin and associated with European descent.

   Both immigration and births contributed to nonwhite population growth in the most recent census.

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noun

1. a person who is not a member of the sociocultural classification marked by slight pigmentation of the skin and associated with European descent; a person of color.

Sensitivity

Use of the word nonwhite to describe a population group has sometimes been criticized for implying in its very structure that “white” is the norm and anything else is a deviation from that norm. A more affirmative descriptive term, like person(s) of color, is often appropriate, as are other specific ethnic, cultural, or national designations. However, nonwhite is still in common use, especially in contexts where the focus is on statistical analyses of populations of European ancestry as distinguished from other populations. It is generally more acceptable as an adjective (strategies to get nonwhite voters to the polls) than as a noun (a candidate favored by nonwhites; the candidate who is a nonwhite ).

Etymology

Origin of nonwhite

First recorded in 1920–25; non- + white

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nonwhite

While he’s a terrific scene partner with Chandler, he also shares a torrid chemistry with Poorna Jagannathan’s Zoe, one of the very few nonwhite Rushville residents who’s immediately drawn to John.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

It is for this reason that transgender people who survive violence often find themselves transformed from victims into suspects—especially if they are nonwhite and/or low-income.

From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2026

But over the three years examined by the Beacon the number of nonwhite and non-Asian students at the Geffen school, which admits about 170 students each year, had increased by only 30.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026

Unified for providing slightly smaller class sizes in schools with a predominantly nonwhite population.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026

Activists pushed to get more nonwhite students into colleges.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

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