rasowa

Rasowa is the feminine form of the Polish adjective rasowy. It is used to describe feminine nouns and agrees in gender with the noun it modifies. The base meaning of rasowy is related to race or ethnicity, and in scholarly or historical contexts the word denotes something that concerns race, racial characteristics, or racial classification.

Beyond its primary sense, rasowy is also used in colloquial Polish to convey a meaning of quality or authenticity, similar to “genuine,” “professional,” or “top-class” when describing a person or thing in a particular field. In this figurative use, the feminine form rasowa would modify a feminine noun accordingly.

Etymology and forms: rasowa derives from rasa, meaning race or breed, with the adjectival suffix -owy. The adjective has gendered forms (masculine rasowy, feminine rasowa, neuter rasowe) and is declined to agree with nouns in number and case.

Usage and cautions: In contemporary Polish, references to race can be sensitive. The use of rasowy/rasowa to describe people or ethnic groups can be inappropriate or outdated outside of precise academic or historical contexts. When discussing race, it is important to be precise and respectful, and to rely on established scholarly terminology.

See also: rasa, rasizm, etnografia, socjologia.