interracial

American  

[in-ter-ray-shuhl] / ˌɪn tərˈreɪ ʃəl /

adjective

1. of, involving, or for members of different racial groups.

   interracial amity.

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interracial British  

/ ˌɪntəˈreɪʃəl /

adjective

1. conducted, involving, or existing between different races or ethnic groups

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Other Word Forms

• interracially
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of interracial

First recorded in 1885–90; inter- + racial

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Explanation

The adjective interracial describes something that involves different ethnic groups. The word interracial is a tricky one, since there's no real agreement about what constitutes a race. It essentially goes back to ancient genetic connections that link a group of people together and often give them common physical characteristics. Interracial marriage is when people of different races wed — something that’s incredibly common today, but was once illegal in the United States.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interracial

The elder Mr. Steele has an interracial marriage, his parents had an interracial marriage, and Eli has an interracial marriage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

Virginia which struck down the bans on interracial marriages in 16 states.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

Shatner and Nichelle Nichols, a Black actress who played Lieutenant Uhura, made history in 1968 with one of the first interracial kisses ever seen on US television.

From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026

He later backed the new president's decision to support gay marriage, comparing the situation to the earlier struggle against laws in the country that had barred interracial marriage.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026

She was an elegant woman, and a political activist in her own right, a founder of Women in Action for the Prevention of Violence, an interracial Durham organization dedicated to working for peaceful integration.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

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Related Words

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