Word: white Part of Speech: adj Etymology: Inherited from Middle English whit, hwit, from Old English hwīt, from Proto-West Germanic *hwīt, from Proto-Germanic *hwītaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱweydós, a byform of *ḱweytós (“bright; shine”). Cognates * West Frisian wyt * Dutch wit * German weiß * German weiss * Norwegian Bokmål hvit * Norwegian Nynorsk kvit * Swedish vit * Danish hvid * Lithuanian šviẽsti (“to gleam”), šviesa (“light”) * Old Church Slavonic свѣтъ (světŭ, “light”), свѣтьлъ (světĭlŭ, “clear, bright”) * Persian سفید (sefid, “white”), Persian سپید (sepid, “white”) * Avestan 𐬯𐬞𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀 (spaēta, “white”) * Sanskrit श्वेत (śvetá, “white, bright”) Pronunciation: /ˈwaɪt/, [ˈwaɪ̯t], /ˈʍaɪt/, [ˈw̥aɪ̯t], /ˈʍʌɪt/ 1. Bright and colourless; reflecting equal quantities of all frequencies of visible light. Example: Write in black ink on white paper. Example: white as the whitest lily on a stream. 2. Of or relating to Europeans or those of European descent, regardless if their skin has cool or warm undertones. Labels: capitalized, sometimes 3. Of or relating to Caucasians (people with white complexion and European ancestry). Labels: capitalized, sometimes Example: […]more white corporations cognizant of the mounting purchasing power of the Negro consumer, have Negro representatives in the field[…]. Example: Ms. Ringwald finds a few things about these films regrettable. One thing she found "significantly disturbing," she wrote, "was how white the films are." 4. By U.S. Census Bureau definition, of or relating to people hailing from Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Labels: capitalized, sometimes 5. Designated for use by Caucasians. Labels: historical Example: white drinking fountain Example: white hospital 6. Relatively light or pale in colour. Example: white wine Example: white grapes 7. Pale or pallid, as from fear, illness, etc. Example: Or whispering with white lips, "The foe! / They come! they come!" 8. Lacking coloration (tan) from ultraviolet light; not tanned. 9. With leucism. Example: Why should the birthplace of the gods in ancient Egyptian times align with the birthplace of the White Lions in our times? 10. Containing cream, milk, or creamer. 11. The standard denomination of the playing pieces of a board game deemed to belong to the white set, no matter what the actual colour. Example: The white pieces in this set are in fact made of light green glass. Example: Consequently, in the initial position the white pieces and pawns are placed on the first and second ranks; the black pieces and pawns on the eighth and seventh ranks. 12. Pertaining to an ecclesiastical order whose adherents dress in white habits; Cistercian. Example: a white monk 13. Honourable, fair, decent, kind; generous. Labels: offensive, often, uncommon Example: White as thy fame, and as thy honour clear. Example: 'The preacher had not proceeded far in his sermon,' said the man, ' before I thought him the whitest man I ever saw. My hat was instantly taken off and thrown under the seat, and I found myself listening with the most profound attention.' 14. Grey, as from old age; having silvery hair; hoary. Example: Your high engendered battles 'gainst a head / So old and white as this. 15. Characterized by freedom from that which disturbs, and the like; fortunate; happy; favourable. Labels: archaic Example: On the whole, however, the dominie reckoned this as one of the white days of his life. 16. Regarded with especial favour; favourite; darling. Labels: obsolete Example: I am his white boy, and will not be gulled. 17. Pertaining to constitutional or anti-revolutionary political parties or movements. Example: Aimée de Coigny had always adopted with enthusiasm the political views of her ruling lover and she had thus already held nearly every shade of opinion from red republicanism to white reaction. 18. Made from immature leaves and shoots. Example: Most often consisting of a budset pluck, a frost tea has the clarity and freshness of a white tea, with the richness and lingering finish of a finely crafted black tea. 19. Not containing characters; see white space. 20. Said of a symbol or character outline, not solid, not filled with color. Compare black (“said of a character or symbol filled with color”). Example: Compare two Unicode symbols: ☞ = "WHITE RIGHT POINTING INDEX"; ☛ = "BLACK RIGHT POINTING INDEX" 21. Characterised by the presence of snow. Example: a white Christmas Example: a white Easter 22. Alwhite, pertaining to white armor. Example: For instance, tyro jousters in fifteenth-century Iberia wore “white armor,” while experienced men wore surcoats over their harness (Fallows 2010, 80), while fabric-covered breastplates are depicted in many examples of fifteenth-century northern European art.