adj

Caucasian

kaw-KAY-zhuhn

adj

Relating to people classified by an older racial system as white or of European descent.

"The form asked applicants to select their ethnicity, including Caucasian."

Relating to the Caucasus region and its peoples or languages.

"Georgian and Chechen are both Caucasian languages."

noun

A white person, per the older racial classification.

"The study compared health outcomes between Caucasians and other groups."

How to Use Caucasian

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost commonly used today as a formal or clinical synonym for "white" (as a racial category); more literally, it refers to the actual Caucasus region and its peoples.

When to use it

Many style guides now prefer "white" over "Caucasian" in general writing, reserving "Caucasian" for its original geographic sense.

Word Forms

more Caucasian comparative, Caucasians plural, most Caucasian superlative

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The form asked applicants to select their ethnicity, including _____.

Etymology

From Caucasus, the mountain range, + -ian. The racial-classification sense was popularized in the 1790s by the German scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, who mistakenly believed the first humans originated there — the theory itself is no longer considered scientifically valid.

Rhymes for Caucasian

Ian Xian tian sian Qian Lian Jian Asian avian Brian stian Fabian

See all rhymes for Caucasian →