# race

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹeɪs/ · frequency rank #882

## Definitions
1. A contest between people, animals, vehicles, etc. where the goal is to be the first to reach some objective.
2. Swift progress; rapid motion; an instance of moving or driving at high speed.
3. A race condition; a bug or problem that occurs when two or more components attempt to use the same resource at the same time.
4. A sequence of events; a progressive movement toward a goal.
5. A fast-moving current of water.
6. A water channel, especially one built to lead water to or from a point where it is utilised, such as that which powers a millwheel.
7. A path that something or someone moves along.
8. A guide or channel that a component of a machine moves along:
9. A guide or channel that a component of a machine moves along:
10. A keno gambling session.

## Etymology
From Middle English race, partially from Old English rǣs (“a race, swift or violent running, rush, onset”), from Proto-West Germanic *rās; and partially from Old Norse rás (“a running, race”); both from Proto-Germanic *rēsō (“a course”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reh₁s- (“to flow, rush”). Cognate with Middle Low German râs ("a strong current"; whence German Low German Raas (“mad rush, rage, fury”)), Dutch ras (“a strong whirling current”), Danish ræs, Norwegian and Swedish ras, Norwegian rås.

## Easily confused with
- **re** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-re)
- **RC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rc)
- **ran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-ran)
- **ray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-ray)
- **raw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-raw)
- **RAM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-ram)
- **rat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rat)
- **rap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rap)
- **RAF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-raf)
- **rec** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rec)
- **rue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rue)
- **rag** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rag)
- **raj** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-raj)
- **rye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rye)
- **rad** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rad)
- **Rae** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rae)
- **roe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-roe)
- **roc** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-roc)
- **Rao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-rao)
- **ras** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/race-vs-ras)

## Common misspellings (5)
`arce`, `racce`, `raec`, `rcae`, `rrace`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/race