Meanings
- uncountablehuman sciencesRacism against the racial majority (either a member or group of that majority or the majority in general).
By claiming that meritocratic judgments trump egalitarian efforts to produce tangible results, neoconservatives cast affirmative action policies as multiracial reverse racism and the major cause of racial divisiveness and low black self-esteem...
1996, George E. Curry, The Affirmative Action Debate, →ISBN, page 331 more example
The unassailable statements that Indians are as good as we are, and better in some respects, and that their tribal ways are an important American value, shade imperceptibly into reverse racism: Indians are better than we are, in all respects, and their tribal ways will save and redeem us.
1935, The New Leader, volume 48, American Labor Conference on International Affairs, page 21
Origin
Based on the notion that racism is usually directed from the political majority to a political minority.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Portuguese racismo reverso
- racismo reversoracism against the racial majority
Cite this entry
reverse racism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reverse%20racism
“reverse racism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reverse%20racism. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “reverse racism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reverse%20racism.
Source: reverse racism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.