dead white European male
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Any of various white male historical figures in art and culture seen to represent racism, sexism, etc. ingrained into Western education, in particular its canon.
Register: derogatory, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “dead white European male” mean?
Any of various white male historical figures in art and culture seen to represent racism, sexism, etc. ingrained into Western education, in particular its canon.
Is “dead white European male” formal or informal?
dead white European male is generally derogatory, slang.