Origin and history of white

Middle English whit, "of the color of milk or snow, fully luminous and devoid of hue," from Old English hwit "bright, radiant; clear, fair," also as a noun (see separate entry), from Proto-Germanic *hweit-, according to Watkins from suffixed form of PIE root *kweit- "white; to shine."

As a surname, originally with reference to fair hair or complexion, it is one of the oldest in English, being well-established before the Conquest. By late 13c. as the color of hair in old age. In early use also the color of lustrous metal, especially "silver," hence such expressions as white the hand "bribe" (early 14c.).

The meaning "morally pure" was in Old English. In Middle English the figurative use was "gracious, friendly, favorable." The color's association with royalist causes dates to late 18c.

The slang sense of "honorable, fair" is by 1877, American English, based on race prejudice. The meaning "of those races (chiefly European or of European extraction) characterized by light complexion" is recorded from c. 1600; the meaning "characteristic of or pertaining to white people" is from 1852, American English. White folks for "white people" in Black English is by 1929.

White supremacy is attested from 1868 [John H. Van Evrie, M.D., "White Supremacy and Negro Subordination," New York, 1868]. White-chauvinism is by 1946. White flight of caucasians out of inner-city areas is attested by 1966, American English. White privilege, "preferential treatment of caucasians" is from 1960, originally in South African contexts, although there is an isolated American use from 1928.

White way "brightly illuminated street in a big city" is from 1908. The white flag of truce or surrender is attested from c. 1600. White lie is attested from 1741. White Christmas in reference to snow is attested from 1847. White water "river rapids" is recorded from 1580s. White lightning "inferior whiskey" is from 1921.

White Russian "language of Byelorussia" is recorded from 1850; the mixed drink is from c. 1978. Astronomical white dwarf is from 1924. White witch, one who uses the power for good, is from 1620s. White House as the name of the U.S. presidential residence is recorded from 1811.

Germanic cognates include Old Saxon and Old Frisian hwit, Old Norse hvitr, Dutch wit, Old High German hwiz, German weiß, Gothic hveits.

The PIE root is also reconstructed to be the source of Sanskrit svetah "white;" Old Church Slavonic sviteti "to shine," svetu "light;" Lithuanian šviesti "to shine," švaityti "to brighten."

Middle English whit, from Old English hwit "whiteness; opposite of black; white food, white of an egg," from white (adj.). Also in late Old English "white color."

Figurative of moral purity by c. 1200. By c. 1300 as "white clothing" (whites as "white garments collectively" as washing is by 1962). By late 14c. as "white wine." The meaning "white part of the eyeball" is from c. 1400. By late 15c. in reference to the player of the white pieces in a game of chess.

The meaning "white man, person of a race distinguished by light complexion" is from 1670s; white man in this sense is from 1690s. White man's burden is from Kipling's 1899 poem:

Take up the White Man's burden—

The savage wars of peace—

Fill full the mouth of Famine

And bid the sickness cease;

And when your goal is nearest

The end for others sought,

Watch sloth and heathen Folly

Bring all your hopes to nought.

"become white, turn white;" also "make white," archaic but preserved in Biblical language, from Old English hwitian, from hwit (see white (adj.)). Related: Whited.