/ waɪt; NAmE / adjective , noun
■ adjective ( whiter , whit·est )
1.
having the colour of fresh snow or of milk :
a crisp white shirt
white bread
a set of perfect white teeth
His hair was as white as snow .
The horse was almost pure white in colour.
2.
belonging to or connected with a race of people who have pale skin :
white middle-class families
She writes about her experiences as a black girl in a predominantly white city.
3.
( of the skin ) pale because of emotion or illness :
white with shock
She went white as a sheet when she heard the news.
4.
( BrE ) ( of tea or coffee ) with milk added :
Two white coffees, please.
Do you take your coffee black or white?
—compare black
► white·ness noun [ U , sing. ]
■ noun
1.
[ U ] the colour of fresh snow or of milk :
the pure white of the newly painted walls
She was dressed all in white.
2.
[ C , usually pl. ] a member of a race or people who have pale skin
3.
[ U , C ] white wine :
Would you like red or white?
a very dry white
4.
[ C , U ] the part of an egg that surrounds the yolk (= the yellow part) :
Use the whites of two eggs.
—picture at egg
5.
[ C , usually pl. ] the white part of the eye :
The whites of her eyes were bloodshot.
6.
whites [ pl. ] white clothes, sheets, etc. when they are separated from coloured ones to be washed :
( BrE )
Don't wash whites and coloureds together.
( NAmE )
Don't wash whites and colors together.
7.
whites [ pl. ] white clothes worn for playing some sports :
cricket / tennis whites
•
IDIOMS
see black noun
•
IDIOMS
- whiter than white
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Old English hwīt , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wit and German weiss , also to wheat .