ras

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ras"

Languages (23)

Translingual • English

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Catalan • Czech • Danish • Dutch • French • Indonesian • Italian • Juba Arabic • Lithuanian • Malay • Maltese • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old English • Polish • Réunion Creole French • Romanian • Russenorsk • Spanish • Swedish • Welsh

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Rashad.

Symbol

ras

1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Tegali.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Tegali terms

English

Etymology 1

From Amharic ራስ (ras). More at Etymology 2.

Noun

ras (plural rases)

1. An Ethiopian king or prince.

Etymology 2

From Arabic رأس (raʔs, “head(land)”). Doublet of ras (Etymology 1) above, as well as of resh; further related to reis.

Noun

ras (plural rases)

1. A headland; a cape.

Usage notes

Chiefly found in proper names.

See also

• ras el hanout (etymologically unrelated)
• ras malai (etymologically unrelated)

Anagrams

• ARS, ARs, ASR, RSA, SAR, Sar, Sar., ars, asr

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Latin rāsus, perfect passive participle of rādere (“scrape, shave”). Cognate to Spanish raso.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central, Valencia, Northwestern) [ˈras]

Participle

ras (feminine rasa, masculine plural rasos, feminine plural rases)

1. past participle of raure

Adjective

ras (feminine rasa, masculine plural rasos, feminine plural rases)

1. close-cropped, shorn
2. smooth, flat, level
3. level, full to the brim (of a container)

   una mesura rasa de farina ― one level measure of flour

Noun

ras m (plural rasos)

1. open country, the open

   al ras ― in the open

Derived terms

• al ras
• rasa

Further reading

• “ras”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “ras”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)
• “ras”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈras]

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

ras m anim

1. a knacker, i.e. a person whose job it is to remove animal carcasses

   Synonym: pohodný

2. a strict, cruel, even ruthless person

Declension

Declension of ras (hard masculine animate)

	singular	plural
nominative	ras	rasové
genitive	rasa	rasů
dative	rasovi, rasu	rasům
accusative	rasa	rasy
vocative	rase	rasové
locative	rasovi, rasu	rasech
instrumental	rasem	rasy

Derived terms

nouns

• rasejček
• rasíček
• rasík

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

ras

1. genitive plural of rasa

Further reading

• “ras”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “ras”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “ras”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026

Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /raːs/, [ʁɑːˀs]

Verb

ras

1. imperative of rase

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rɑs/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ras
• Rhymes: -ɑs

Etymology 1

Borrowing from French race.

Noun

ras n (plural rassen, diminutive rasje n)

1. race, breed

Usage notes

• In compounds generally refers to a purebred animal (e.g. rashond (“purebred dog”)).

Derived terms

• hondenras
• paardenras
• rasecht
• rasgeit
• rashond
• raskat
• raskonijn
• rasoptimist
• raspaard
• raspessimist
• rasschaap
• rassenhaat
• rassenleer
• rassenscheiding
• rassensegregatie
• raszuiver
• vuilnisbakkenras

Descendants

• → Indonesian: ras
  • → Malay: ras

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch rasch, from Old Dutch *rasc, from Proto-Germanic *raskuz. Cognates include English rash, German rasch.

Adjective

ras (comparative rasser, superlative meest ras or rast)

1. (dated outside fixed expressions) quick

   Synonyms: snel, vlug, rap, rad, kwiek, gezwind

   Het project vordert met rasse schreden. ― The project is advancing rapidly.

Usage notes

• This word has mostly fallen in disuse outside of the set phrase met rasse schreden.

Declension

Declension of ras
uninflected	ras
inflected	rasse
comparative	rasser
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		ras	rasser	het rast het raste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	rasse	rassere	raste
	n. sing.	ras	rasser	raste
	plural	rasse	rassere	raste
definite		rasse	rassere	raste
partitive		ras	rassers	—

Alternative forms

• (obsolete) rasch

Derived terms

• alras

Related terms

• verrassen

French

Etymology 1

From Old French rés (remodelled after raser), itself from Latin rāsus. Doublet of rez.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʁa/ ~ /ʁɑ/
• Rhymes: -ɑ
• Homophone: raz

Adjective

ras (feminine rase, masculine plural ras, feminine plural rases)

1. short
2. close-cropped (of hair etc.)

Derived terms

• à ras bord
• à ras de
• au ras de
• au ras des pâquerettes
• en avoir ras la casquette
• en avoir ras le bol
• en avoir ras le cul
• ras-le-bol
• rase campagne
• table rase

Related terms

• rasibus

Etymology 2

From Amharic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʁas/ ~ /ʁɑs/
• Rhymes: -ɑs
• Homophones: race, races (short a only)

Noun

ras m (invariable)

1. ras (Ethiopian king or prince)

Etymology 3

Adverb

ras

1. (text messaging) alternative letter-case form of RAS (“nothing to report”)

Further reading

• “ras”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈras/ [ˈras]
• Rhymes: -as
• Syllabification: ras

Etymology 1

From Dutch ras, from French race, from Middle French rasse (“entirety of ancestors and descendants of the same family or people”), from Italian razza (13th century), of uncertain origin (more at razza).

Noun

ras (plural ras-ras)

1. race

   Synonyms: bangsa, kaum, rumpun bangsa, puak

Derived terms

• ras edafik

Descendants

• → Malay: ras

Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic.

Noun

ras (plural ras-ras)

1. the imitation of the sound of dry leaves rubbing together

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Arabic [Term?], from Persian راست (râst, “straight”), from Middle Persian rāst, from Old Persian 𐎼𐎠𐎿𐎫 (rāsta, “right”), from Proto-Iranian *Hraštáh, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hraštás, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵtós (“having moved in a straight line”), *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, direct”).

Noun

ras (plural ras-ras)

1. one of the rhythms of reciting the Qur'an with a soft voice, but with a fast tempo

Further reading

• “ras”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Amharic ራስ (ras, “head”), from Proto-Semitic *raʾš- (“head”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈras/
• Rhymes: -as
• Hyphenation: ràs

Noun

ras m (invariable)

1. (historical) title of the second-highest grade in the hierarchy of the Ethiopian Empire; ras
2. (figurative, derogatory) any small local authority who exercises power despotically
3. a local boss of organized crime
4. (historical) a Fascist party official

Synonyms

• (Fascist official): gerarca

Related terms

• rais

See also

• negus
• degiac (ethiopian commander of a unit equivalent to a regiment, composed of two to three thousand men)

Juba Arabic

Etymology

Etymology tree

Arabic رَأْس (raʔs)

Sudanese Arabic راس (rās)der.

Juba Arabic ras

Derived from Sudanese Arabic راس (rās), from Arabic رَأْس (raʔs).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɾas/, [ˈɾas]

Noun

ras

1. (anatomy) head
2. top

References

• Ian Smith; Morris Timothy Ama (1985), A Dictionary of Juba Arabic & English‎^[2], 1st edition, Juba: The Committee of The Juba Cheshire Home and Centre for Handicapped Children, page 166

Lithuanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈrɐs]
• Rhymes: -ɐs
• Syllabification: ràs

Verb

ras

1. third-person singular future of rasti
2. third-person plural future of rasti

Malay

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ras]

  • Audio (Malaysia):

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -ras, -as
• (Etymology 1, alternatively, English-based) IPA^(key): [res]

  • Audio (Malaysia):

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -res, -es
• Hyphenation: ras

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Indonesian ras, from Dutch ras, from Italian razza (“type”).

Noun

ras (Jawi spelling رس, plural ras-ras)

1. (anthropology) A race.

   Synonyms: keturunan, kaum, bangsa, puak, etnik

   ras Cina ― Chinese race

Related terms

• rasis
• rasisme

Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic.

Noun

ras (Jawi spelling رس, uncountable)

1. (Onomatopoeia) A rustling sound.

Etymology 3

From Hindi रास (rās) or Urdu راس (rās).

Noun

ras (Jawi spelling رس, plural ras-ras)

1. The reins used by a horse rider to guide a horse.

   Synonym: kekang

Further reading

• "ras" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017
  (also see "ras" at PRPM first version)

Maltese

Root
r-j-s
2 terms

Etymology

From Arabic رَأْس (raʔs). The word is masculine in standard Arabic, but the feminine is found in some dialects, so there is no need to assume influence by Sicilian testa (though this is not ruled out).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /raːs/
• Rhymes: -aːs

Noun

ras f (dual (uncommon) rasejn, plural rjus, diminutive rwajsa)

1. (anatomy) head
   • 1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Lis-Sena l-Ġdida 1964”, in Fl-Arena:

     X’sejra ġġibilna ġewwa l-fardal tiegħek.
     ja Sena Ġdida?
     Ah! biegħed minna
     il-għelt, il-ġlied,
     id-demm bejn l-aħwa;
     rażżan ir-regħba u l-ġibdiet tal-ħakma,
     rattab l-irjus u l-qlub,
     ġibilna s-sabar ta’ xulxin, l-imħabba,
     ġibilna l-għaqda,
     ġibilna s-sliem,
     ġibilna l-ħelsien!

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (measure word for livestock or people in a crowd) a single animal or person.
3. beginning
4. front part
5. promontory, headland, cape
6. chief, leader
7. bulb (of garlic)
8. top
9. intellect
10. (in the plural) chapters

Derived terms

• Ras ir-Randan

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Old Norse ras, compare with the verb rase.

Noun

ras n (definite singular raset, indefinite plural ras, definite plural rasa or rasene)

1. an avalanche, landslide, landslip

Synonyms

• skred

Derived terms

• jordras
• snøras
• steinras
• takras

Etymology 2

Verb

ras

1. imperative of rase

References

• “ras” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “ras_2” in Norwegian Academy Dictionary (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse ras, itself apparently related to rás (“race, course”); compare with rase.

Noun

ras n (definite singular raset, indefinite plural ras, definite plural rasa)

1. an avalanche, landslide, landslip

Synonyms

• skred

Derived terms

• jordras
• snøras
• steinras
• takras

References

• “ras” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rɑːs/

Verb

rās

1. first/third-person singular preterite indicative of rīsan

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈras/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -as
• Syllabification: ras
• Homophone: raz

Noun

ras

1. genitive plural of rasa

Réunion Creole French

Etymology

From French race.

Noun

ras

1. race (a large group of people distinguished from others on the basis of a common heritage)

References

• Armand, Alain (1987), Dictionnaire Kréol rénioné/Français [Reunionese Creole-French Dictionary] (in French), Océan Éditions, →ISBN, page 294

Romanian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Italic *razdō

Latin rādō

Proto-Indo-European *-tus

Proto-Italic *-tus

Latin -tus

Latin rāsus

Romanian ras

Inherited from Latin rāsus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ras/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -as

Verb

ras (past participle of rade)

1. past participle of rade

Adjective

ras m or n (feminine singular rasă, masculine plural rași, feminine/neuter plural rase)

1. shaved, shaven

Declension

Declension of ras

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	ras		rasă	rași	rase
	definite	rasul		rasa	rașii	rasele
genitive- dative	indefinite	ras		rase	rași	rase
	definite	rasului		rasei	rașilor	raselor

Antonyms

• neras

Related terms

• rade
• răsură

Russenorsk

Etymology

From Russian разъ (raz, “a time”) with a semantic change of unknown origin.

Noun

ras

1. a day

   Nogli ras paa kastel ju stannom?

   How many days have you been in the jail?

Synonyms

• dag

Derived terms

• gammel ras (yesterday)

References

• Ingvild Broch; Ernst H. Jahr (1984), Russenorsk: Et pidginspråk i Norge [Russenorsk: A pidgin language in Norway], 2 edition, Oslo: Novus Forlag

Spanish

Etymology

Deverbal from rasar, from raso (“level”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈras/ [ˈras]
• Rhymes: -as
• Syllabification: ras

Noun

ras m (plural rases)

1. evenness, levelness

Derived terms

• a ras
• a ras de tierra
• ras con ras

Further reading

• “ras”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025
• “ras”, in Diccionario de americanismos [Dictionary of Americanisms] (in Spanish), Association of Academies of the Spanish Language [Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española], 2010
• ras | Diccionario • DELE Ahora

Swedish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rɑːs/

• Audio (Gotland):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːs

Etymology 1

From Old Norse rás (“race”), from Proto-Germanic *rēsō.

Noun

ras c

1. a race (a large group of individuals of the same species set apart from others on the basis of a common heritage), a breed

   hundraser ― dog breeds

Declension

Declension of ras

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	ras	ras
	definite	rasen	rasens
plural	indefinite	raser	rasers
	definite	raserna	rasernas

Derived terms

• hundras
• kattras
• rasben
• rasbiologi
• rasbiologisk
• rasblandning
• rasbråk
• rasdiskriminerande
• rasdiskriminering
• rasdjur
• rasfråga
• rasfrände
• rasfördom
• rasförföljelse
• rasförtryck
• rashat
• rashatare
• rashets
• rashetsare
• rashund
• rashygien
• rashygienisk
• rashäst
• rashögfärd
• rasism
• rasist
• rasistisk
• raskamp
• raskatt
• raskravaller
• raskrig
• raslag
• raslig
• raslära
• rasmotsättning
• rasmässig
• raspolitik
• raspolitisk
• rasproblem
• rasprogram
• rasren
• rasrenhet
• rassegregation
• rasskillnad
• rastillhörighet
• rastänkande
• rasåtskillnad
• renrasig

Etymology 2

Verbal noun of rasa. Compare Danish and Norwegian ras.

Noun

ras n

1. a collapse (of a building)
2. a mudslide (geological disaster)
3. a cave in, a collapse inward or downward
4. a fall (of stock market values)
5. (archaic to obsolete) romp, frolic (lively play)
   • 1891, “Det var dans bort i vägen [There was a dance down the road]”, Gustaf Fröding (lyrics), Helfrid Lambert (music)‎^[3]performed by Sven-Ingvars:

     In i snåret av björkar och alar och hassel, var det viskande snack, det var tissel och tassel, bland de skymmande skuggorna där. Det var ras, det var lek över stockar och stenar, det var kutter och smek, under lummiga grenar. Vill du ha mig, så har du mig här!

     In the thicket of birches and alders and hazel, there was whispered [whispering] chatter, there was tittling and tattling, among the obscuring shadows there. There was romp, there was play over logs and rocks, there was cooing and caressing, under leafy branches. If you want me, you have me here!

Declension

Declension of ras

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	ras	ras
	definite	raset	rasets
plural	indefinite	ras	ras
	definite	rasen	rasens

Related terms

• rasa
• rasbrant
• rasera
• rasering
• rasgräns
• raskant
• rasmassa
• rasolycka
• rasrisk
• snöras
• stenras

References

• “ras”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “ras”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “ras”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)

Anagrams

• -sar, ars

Welsh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /raːs/
• Rhymes: -aːs

Etymology 1

From English race.

Noun

ras f (not mutable, plural rasys)

1. race (contest)

Derived terms

• cae ras m (“racecourse”)
• rasio (“race”, verb)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

ras

1. soft mutation of gras (“grace”)

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “ras”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies