white / (h)wīt/ • adj. 1. of the color of milk or fresh snow, due to the reflection of most wavelengths of visible light; the opposite of black: a sheet of white paper. ∎  approaching such a color; very pale: her face was white with fear. ∎ fig. morally or spiritually pure; innocent and untainted: he is as pure and white as the driven snow. ∎  (of a plant) having white flowers or pale-colored fruit. ∎  (of a tree) having light-colored bark. ∎  (of wine) made from white grapes, or dark grapes with the skins removed, and having a yellowish color. ∎ Brit. (of coffee or tea) served with milk or cream. ∎  (of glass) transparent; colorless. ∎  (of bread) made from a light-colored, sifted, or bleached flour. 2. (also White) belonging to or denoting a human group having light-colored skin (chiefly used of peoples of European extraction): a white farming community. ∎  of or relating to such people: white Australian culture. 3. hist. counter-revolutionary or reactionary. Contrasted with red (sense 2).• n. 1. white color or pigment: garnet-red flowers flecked with white | the woodwork was an immaculate white. ∎  white clothes or material: he was dressed from head to foot in white. ∎  (whites) white clothes, esp. as worn for playing tennis, or as naval uniform, or in the context of washing: wash whites separately. ∎  white wine. ∎  (White) the player of the white pieces in chess or checkers. ∎  the white pieces in chess. ∎  a white thing, in particular the white ball (the cue ball) in billiards. ∎  the outer part (white when cooked) that surrounds the yolk of an egg; the albumen. ∎  white bread: tuna on white. 2. the visible pale part of the eyeball around the iris. 3. (also White) a member of a light-skinned people, esp. one of European extraction. 4. a white or cream butterfly that has dark veins or spots on the wings. It can be a serious crop pest. • Pieris and other genera, family Pieridae. See also cabbage white.• v. [tr.] archaic paint or turn (something) white: your passion hath whited your face.PHRASES: bleed someone/something white drain someone or something of wealth or resources.whited sepulcher poetic/lit. a hypocrite.white man's burden the task that white colonizers believed they had to impose their civilization on the black inhabitants of their colonies.whiter than white extremely white. ∎  morally beyond reproach.PHRASAL VERBS: white out (of vision) become impaired by exposure to sudden bright light. ∎  (of a person) lose color vision as a prelude to losing consciousness.white something out1. obliterate a mistake with white correction fluid. ∎  cover one's face or facial blemishes completely with makeup. 2. impair someone's vision with a sudden bright light.DERIVATIVES: white·ly adv.white·ness n.whit·ish adj.