whites-only
Meaning
restricted to white people, especially as a form of racial segregation.
Structure
Usage
the park had a whites-only policy until the civil rights act of 1964.
they were turned away from the whites-only swimming pool.
signs reading "whites-only" were a common sight in the jim crow south.
Etymology
The compound adjective 'whites-only' is a modern formation directly reflecting its constituent English words. The first element, 'whites', derives from the Old English adjective 'hwīt', which originally described the color of light or brightness. By the 17th century, it was used as a noun to categorize people of European descent. The second element, 'only', originates from the Old English 'ānlīc', meaning 'single' or 'sole', which itself comes from 'ān' (one). When combined in the 20th century, the phrase 'whites-only' served as a stark, literal descriptor for policies and establishments that explicitly excluded non-white individuals, most notoriously during periods of institutionalized racial segregation in the united states and south Africa. Its construction transparently conveys the concept of exclusivity based on race.
Analysis
whites: from middle english 'whit', from old english 'hwīt', of germanic origin; meaning 'white people'. only: from middle english 'oonli', from old english 'ānlīc' (one-like), from 'ān' (one) + '-līc' (-ly); meaning 'exclusively, solely'.