Other forms: racists
Racist means showing prejudice or discrimination based on race. A racist remark, racist abuse, institutionally racist.
It works as an adjective and as a noun for a person. It is a serious accusation, and much public argument turns on whether it describes intention, effect or structure — hence institutional racism, meaning a system that produces unequal outcomes whatever individuals intend. In British law, racially aggravated offences carry heavier sentences. Note racism, the noun; anti-racist; and that racial is a neutral descriptive word where racist is not.
1adjectiveracistShowing prejudice or discrimination based on race.
“The policy was racist in effect whatever anybody intended.”
2nounholdsSomebody who holds such prejudice.
“A racist in the crowd abused the footballer and was banned from the ground for life.”
racist is a form of prejudice.
French raciste and racisme entered English in the 1930s, in writing about Nazi Germany. The words are surprisingly recent: English had no single term for the idea before the twentieth century.
French
raciste
English, today
racist
1932 (noun), 1938 (adjective). Formed from racism (1928), paralleling French raciste (1892). Replaced older racialist (1910). Equivalent to race + -ist.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA