race

RAYS/ɹeɪs/

Pluralraces

Verbraces, racing, raced

36 meanings of race

Practice

1
sporting contestnouncountable or uncountable
A contest to find out who is fastest at reaching a goal or finish line.
Like seeing who can get to the door first.
The whole class entered the school race on sports day.
She won the race by less than a second.
UsageYou run, win or lose a race.
Similarcontest, competition
Note
2
skin color groupnouncountable or uncountable
One of the large groups people are put into because of things like skin color and family background.
People of every race took part in the festival.
Her family includes people of more than one race.
UsageSay people of every race, or of mixed race.
Note
3
nouncountable
A contest between people trying to win an election, a position of power or some other prize.
The race for mayor is very close this year.
Three managers are in the race for the top job at the company.
UsageSay the Senate race or the race for mayor.
Similarcontest, campaign, competition
Note
4
move fastverbintransitive
To move very fast, or to hurry somewhere quickly.
Like running as fast as you can to get somewhere.
We had to race to catch the last bus home.
He raced down the stairs when he heard the doorbell.
UsageOften race to a place, or race to do something.
Similarrush, zoom, zip, shift
Oppositedawdle, crawl, amble, stroll
Note
5
verbintransitive
To take part in a race, or to try to go faster than someone else.
Like joining a running game to see who wins.
He loves to race every weekend at the local track.
She raced for her college team last year.
UsageRace against someone; race for a team.
Similarcompete
6
verbtransitive
To put an animal or vehicle in races, or to ride or drive it in a race.
My uncle races pigeons every summer.
They want to race their old car at the local track this fall.
Similarrun
Note
7
elves and suchnouncountable or uncountable
A large group of non-human beings who share a background, like elves or dwarves in a story.
Like elves, dwarves, and goblins each being their own kind of people.
In the game, you can play as an elf or another magical race.
The dwarves are a proud race who live deep in the mountains.
Similarbreed, kind
Note
8
nouncountable or uncountable
A kind of people or things that are alike in some way.
Farmers are a tough race who work from dawn to dusk.
He called teachers a patient race, always ready to explain again.
UsageUsually with a describing word: a tough race.
Similarbreed, kind, type, sort, species
Note

Less common meanings

9
verbintransitive
(Of the heart) to beat faster than normal, or (of the mind) to jump quickly from one thought to the next.
My heart started to race when I heard a noise downstairs.
Her mind was racing with ideas for the party.
UsageOften my heart is racing, my mind is racing.
Similarquicken, pound, whirl
Oppositeslow
10
nouncountable or uncountable
Very fast movement, or a single burst of moving at high speed.
Like a big rush to get something done fast.
There was a mad race to finish before the rain came.
The last-minute race to pack our bags left us exhausted.
Similarrush, dash, running
Oppositecrawl, stroll
Note
11
verbintransitive
To turn very fast when an engine is not connected to the gears.
Like a bike's pedals spinning fast when the chain slips off.
The engine began to race when he pressed the pedal in neutral.
The motor raced loudly before he shifted into gear.
Similarrev
Oppositeidle
Note
12
within a speciesnouncountable or uncountable
In biology, a group of animals, plants, or germs of one species that share special features, like a breed.
Like different breeds within one kind of animal.
Scientists say this owl is only a race, not a whole new species.
Each race of the tiger looks a little different from the others.
Similarstrain
Note
13
nouncountable or uncountable
A series of steps or events that move steadily toward a goal.
Like a long journey where each day brings you closer to where you want to be.
The race of events that spring moved too fast for anyone to stop.
The city's race toward clean energy speeds up every year.
Similarsequence, series, succession, chain, course
Note
14
mill channelnouncountable or uncountable
A narrow channel that water or things move along, especially one that takes water to a mill.
Like a narrow ditch dug to send water exactly where you want it.
Water rushed down the race and turned the old mill wheel.
They cleared fallen leaves from the race behind the mill.
Similarchannel, flume, sluice, conduit
Note
15
family linenounarchaicuncountable
The family a person comes from, or the children and grandchildren who come after them.
That very estate which the Lyndons now possess in Ireland was once the property of my race.
1844, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “My Pedigree and Family.—Undergo the Influence of the Tender Passion.”Here, race means family, the people one comes from.
Yes, madam, believe it, she is a gentlewoman of very absolute behaviour, and of a good race.
1609, Ben Jonson, EpicœneHere, race means family line.
Note
16
strong currentnouncountable or uncountable
A fast-moving flow of water, such as a strong current in the sea.
The boat was pulled along by the strong race in the channel.
Fishermen stay away from the race near the rocks when the tide is turning.
Similarrip
Note
17
noun
A software bug that happens when two parts of a program try to use the same thing at once.
18
verb
To treat or see someone as belonging to a certain race.
19
noun
The grooved metal ring that holds the rolling balls inside a bearing.
20
noun
A narrow groove on a loom or sewing machine that the shuttle slides along.
21
noun
One round or session of the keno gambling game.
22
noun
A root or underground stem of a plant, especially ginger.
On the third day after this second boiling, pour all the syrup into a pan, put the races of ginger with it, and boil it up until the syrup adheres to the spoon.
1842, Gibbons Merle, The Domestic Dictionary and Housekeeper's Manual
23
nounobsolete
The act of mating to produce and give birth to children.
Male he created thee, but thy consort / Femal for Race; then bless’d Mankinde, and said, / Be fruitful, multiplie, and fill the Earth[.]
1667, John Milton, Paradise LostHere, Race means having children.
24
verbdialectalWest Country
To cut, scratch, or tear something with a sharp tool.
Buckles and agglettes at vnwares, ſhall race his bowe, a thinge both euill for the fight, ⁊ perillous for freatinge.
1545, Roger Ascham, “The Seconde Booke”Here, race means to scratch or cut.
25
nounobsolete
The special taste of a wine that shows where it came from.
Is it [the wine] of the right race?
c. 1625, Philip Massinger, A New Way to Pay Old Debts
26
nounobsolete
The special nature of a person or thing.
And now I give my sensual race the rein.
c. 1603, William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure
27
nounobsolete
One generation in a family line.
Perhaps this is the reason why it is an article of faith with the servants, handed down from race to race, that the departed Tisher was a hairdresser.
1870, Charles Dickens, “The Nun's House”
28
verbobsolete
To pass looks or features on to young ones.
29
verbarchaic
To scrape the face of a grinding stone to make it cut well.
Racing means the turning up, cutting or dressing of a revolving grindstone at the factory before the grindstone is brought into use for the first time.
[1932, “No. 343. Metal Grinding Industries (Silicosis) Scheme”, in Statutory Rules and Orders
30
verbobsolete
To knock down a building or town completely.
31
verbobsolete
To cut or rip your way through something.
32
verbobsolete
To cut slits in clothes or shoes to make them look nice.
Item an old white sattin dublett laced all over with a small silver lace in a worke raced and cutt betweene
1614, An Inventory of the late Lo. Privy Seale his Jewels and Plate with their severall waightes and valuations taken the XVIth daie of…
33
verbobsolete
To change a written paper by rubbing parts out.
This indenture is raced all the worlde may ſe it: Ceſte indenture eſt faulcée tout le monde le peult veoyr.
1530, John Palsgrave, “The Table of Verbes”
34
verbobsolete
To rub or scrape out writing.
The wound alas happe in some other place, / From whence no toole away the skar can race.
c. 1528, Thomas Wyatt, “[Sonnets] Sonnet 31”
35
verbobsolete
To get rid of someone or something completely.
VVithout reſpect of ſex, degree or age. / He raceth all his foes vvith fire and ſvvord.
c. 1587, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. The First Part
36
verbobsolete
To grab or pull something quickly.
Thus erring Rome hath, doth, & vvill our chriſtian VVorld vnqueate: / May therefore Princes ioyne to race that Monſter from his Seate.
1602, William Warner, “The Twel[f]th Booke. Chapter LXXIII.”

More uses

human raceall people, as one group

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of race apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 3–6, 9–11, 13–14, 16

From an Old English and Old Norse word meaning a running or rush. Both came from an older Germanic word for a course.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Race derives partly from an Old English word meaning a running or rush. en.wiktionary.org
Race also derives from an Old Norse word meaning a running. en.wiktionary.org
Both ancestral words descend from an older Germanic word meaning a course. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 2, 7–8, 12, 15

Recorded by the 1550s, coming through Middle French from Italian razza. The true origin of the Italian word is uncertain, and scholars have proposed many different theories.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The English word was recorded by the 1550s, including in Surrey's poem published in 1557. celm.folger.edu
English borrowed the word through Middle French from Italian razza. en.wiktionary.org
The Italian word's ultimate origin is uncertain, with multiple proposed explanations. fr.wiktionary.org