Caucasian

adjective

Cau·​ca·​sian kȯ-ˈkā-zhən 

kä-,

 also  -ˈka-zhən

1

: of or relating to the Caucasus or its inhabitants

were forced to leave their Caucasian homeland

2

: of or relating to a group of people having European ancestry, classified according to physical traits (such as light skin pigmentation), and formerly considered to constitute a race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) of humans

Note: People of North African and southwest Asian ancestry were historically also sometimes considered to be of the Caucasian race.

Caucasian noun

Caucasoid

ˈkȯ-kə-ˌsȯid 

-ˌzȯid

adjective or noun

Did you know?

Caucasian vs. White

Caucasian has two fairly distinct meanings, and the difference between them occasionally leads people to aver that one of them is incorrect. The earliest sense of the word is a literal one: “of or relating to the Caucasus (a region in southeastern Europe between the Black and Caspian seas) or its inhabitants.” The second refers to the racial group commonly referred to as white.

The objection to using Caucasian to refer to a white person is that many whites do not actually come from the Caucasus region. Be this as it may, there is no rule in language stipulating that the formation of a word must be based on logic; were this the case we would not call members of this racial group either Caucasian or white, since there are very few whose skin color is in fact that exact shade.

Examples of Caucasian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Talk about diverse: Moana 2 pulled in 36% Hispanic and Latino, 27% Black, 18% Caucasian and 11% Asian American on Comscore/Screen Engine’s PostTrak. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 Dec. 2024

His parents were divorced, so his mother and Caucasian stepfather raised him. —Kylie Ora Lobell, Sun Sentinel, 16 Sep. 2024

Most memorably are the mayor, depicted as a plump Caucasian male who performs Jackson’s famous kick, and the skeleton who dances Jackson’s iconic moonwalk. —Ime Ekpo, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

But the new membership is more diverse, with 51% men and 39% women; and 36% white or Caucasian, 26% Black or African-American, 14% Hispanic or Latin and 11% Asian or Pacific Islander. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Caucasian

adjective

Cau·​ca·​sian kȯ-ˈkā-zhən 

-ˈkazh-ən

1

: of or relating to the Caucasus or people living there

2

: of or relating to a group of people having European ancestry, classified according to physical traits (as light skin pigmentation), and formerly considered to constitute a race of humans

Caucasian noun

Medical Definition

Caucasian

adjective

Cau·​ca·​sian ˈkȯ-ˈkā-zhən, -ˈkazh-ən 

: of or relating to a group of people having European ancestry, classified according to physical traits (as light skin pigmentation), and formerly considered to constitute a race of humans

Caucasian noun