hypodescent

American

[hahy-poh-di-sent] / ˌhaɪ poʊ dɪˈsɛnt /

noun

the classifying or identifying of a biracial or multiracial individual as a member of the lower or lowest socially ranking racial group from which that person has ancestry.

Etymology

Origin of hypodescent

First recorded in hypo- ( def. ) + descent ( def. )

Example Sentences

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hypodescent

To grasp the full measure of Stella’s position, we must consider the concept of hypodescent, colloquially known as the “one-drop rule.”

From New York Times ● May 29, 2020

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023