the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races
"The old policy was rooted in racism, as it assumed white people were inherently more intelligent than everyone else."
discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race
"The group's racist actions included spreading hateful rumors and refusing to serve customers based on their skin color."
Belief that there are distinct human races with inherent differences which determine their abilities, and generally that some are superior and others inferior.
"The speaker's claim that people of a certain background are naturally less intelligent than others is a clear expression of racism rooted in the belief in biologically determined racial hierarchies."
In plain English: Racism is treating people unfairly because of their race.
"The community came together to protest racism and demand equality for all residents."
Usage: Racism refers to the belief in innate racial superiority or inferiority rather than just prejudice against individuals. Use this term when describing systemic discrimination based on race instead of general bias toward a specific person.
The word entered English from French racisme, which was formed by combining the term for "race" with a suffix meaning "-ism." It originally described prejudice or discrimination based on perceived racial differences.