multiculturalism

American  

[muhl-tee-kuhl-cher-uh-liz-uhm, muhl-tahy-] / ˌmʌl tiˈkʌl tʃər əˌlɪz əm, ˌmʌl taɪ- /

noun

1. the state or condition of being multicultural.

2. the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation.

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multiculturalism British  

/ ˌmʌltɪˈkʌltʃərəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the state or condition of being multicultural

2. the policy of maintaining a diversity of ethnic cultures within a community

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multiculturalism Cultural  

1. The view that the various cultures in a society merit equal respect and scholarly interest. It became a significant force in American society in the 1970s and 1980s as African-Americans, Latinos, and other ethnic groups explored their own history.

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Other Word Forms

• multiculturalist
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of multiculturalism

First recorded in 1960–65; multicultural + -ism

Explanation

Do you think different cultures can and should get along — and be celebrated? Then you believe in multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is an optimistic philosophy that says if we learn about and accept other cultures, we'll all get along better. Sometimes multiculturalism is celebrated by eating food from other countries or learning about how people live in different parts of the world. When you study multiculturalism, you usually learn two things: how different other people are, and how similar they are, too.

Example Sentences

Multiculturalism is an uphill battle in a society with a deep-rooted self-perception of ethnic homogeneity.

From Washington Post • Feb. 22, 2023

Dewalt has popularized ideas that historians have recently been working to expose: Multiculturalism was commonplace in medieval European cities and towns.

From Slate • Nov. 8, 2016

Multiculturalism does work, but it seems only in smaller ways, cultures, and places, where people still matter.

From New York Times • Aug. 29, 2016

Multiculturalism is fine but we do we have any shared culture?

From The Guardian • Jun. 9, 2014

Multiculturalism, criticism of tradition, and freedom from the pressure of competition are among the recommendations they make.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai

Related Words

• pluralism