all-white

The compound adjective 'all-white' is a transparent modern English formation. Its first element, 'all', derives from the Old English word eall, a term of totality with deep Proto-Germanic origins. The second element, 'white', originates from Old English hwīt, related to concepts of light and brightness from the Proto-Indo-European root ḱweyt-. When combined, the literal meaning "completely white" emerged. This literal sense later extended metaphorically in social contexts, particularly in 20th-century American English, to describe organizations, neighborhoods, or events that excluded non-white people, thus adding a layer of socio-political meaning to the straightforward descriptive term.

Structure: all (entirely) + white (color) - all: From Old English eall, meaning "entire, whole, every." A Germanic root. - white: From Old English hwīt, meaning "bright, radiant, pale." A Proto-Germanic root.