A Racer Can Be a Person, a Car or a Snake
A racer is one who takes part in races. The word also names a fast North American snake and several kinds of machine.
A racer is a person, animal or machine that takes part in races. The word spreads well beyond sport: the black racer and blue racer are fast-moving North American snakes named for their speed, and *racer* also names a class of yacht, a bicycle and a racing pigeon. Anything built or bred for speed can take the name. *Race* meaning a contest comes from Old Norse *ras*, a running; *race* meaning a group of people is an unrelated word from Italian.
- A competitor in a race. *A cycle racer.*
- A fast snake. *A black racer.*
- A racing machine. *A racer bike.*
- Racing pigeon. *A racer.*
- Old Norse — *ras*, a running. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | racer | A racer. |
| Plural | racers | Racers. |
| Base | race | A race. |
| Verb | race | Race him. |
| Noun | racing | Racing. |
- The racers lined up at the start.Sport.
- A black racer crossed the path.Snake.
- He restored an old racer.Bicycle.
Two unrelated words spelled race
- Race (contest) — from Old Norse *ras*, a running or rush
- Race (people) — from Italian *razza*, of uncertain origin
- Race (channel) — a fast watercourse, from the contest word
- Racy — lively or risqué, from the contest word
- Racial — belongs to the second word only
From *race*, Old Norse *ras*, a running or rush, plus the agent suffix *-er*.
Why is a snake called a racer?
For its speed. Several fast-moving North American colubrids are called racers.
Are the two senses of race related?
No. The contest word is Norse; the word for a group of people came from Italian razza, a separate line entirely.